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<©£  EDISON 

PHONOGRAPH 
MONTHLY 


Volume.  X IV 


Scanned  from  the  collections  of 
The  Library  of  Congress 


AUDIO-VISUAL  CONSERVATION 
at  The  LIBRARY  cf  CONGRESS 


^      *.       JL 


Packard  Campus 

for  Audio  Visual  Conservation 

www.loc.gov/avconservation 

Motion  Picture  and  Television  Reading  Room 
www.loc.gov/rr/mopic 

Recorded  Sound  Reference  Center 
www.loc.gov/rr/record 


EDISON 

Phonograph  Monthly 


EXACT  REPRODUCTION 
By 

Wendell  Moore 

First  Edition 
October  1989 


1916 -VOLUME  XIV 


NUMBER  1 

BOOK  NUMBER   fjQO 


(j)uAJUA7tft 


'&O^JU- 


v.fy  fib 

(Late  summer  1989) 

This  is  a  bittersweet  time  in  my  life  -  by  that  I  mean  that  in  my  29 
years  of  collecting  I  have  had  all  the  highs  and  lows  that  collectors  ex- 
perience, but  none  of  the  highs  approach  the  one  I  experienced  the  day 
that  I  uncovered  the  full  set  of  the  Edison  Phonograph  monthly  bulle- 
tins. 

Now,  after  3  years  of  planning  and  13  years  of  printing,  E.P.M.  is 
a  completed  set.  It  has  not  been  easy,  quite  exasperating — and  most  of 
you,  I'm  sure,  at  one  time  or  another,  have  given  up  on  ever  seeing  it 
finished — but  here  it  is! 

In  retrospect,  conditions  did  deteriate  so  badly  at  times  that  comple- 
tion was  in  doubt — but  problems  kept  being  solved  and  books  kept 
being  printed  and  now  we  are  seeing  the  end  of  the  tunnel.  It  was  once 
described  by  another  publisher  as  being  an  "Ambitious  project" — well, 
he  was  quite  right — moreso  than  I  knew  at  the  time.  There  was  one  life 
saving  element  in  my  favor  though  — all  you  guys  that  were  willing  to 
stand  up  and  be  counted  with  me.  Your  support  made  all  this  possible! 

I  have  had  much  help  in  producing  the  books  also — this  Volume  is 
greatly  enhanced  by  Dave  Heitz  in  his  allowing  us  to  use  the  issue  of  the 
Edison  Works. 

In  this  final  book,  I  must  stress  again  the  great  service  rendered  us 
by  a  man  that  none  of  you  had  the  pleasure  of  knowing-M.A.  "  Mac" 
McMillion.  I  truly  hope  Mac  is  in  a  position  to  realize  what  a  service 
he  performed  in  caring  for  the  E.P.M.  for  those  62  years. 

Thank  you  "Mac"  -  where  ever  you  are. 


Wendell  Moore 


Wi*  EDISON 
PHONOGRAPH 

MONTHLY 


iii 


VOL.  XIV 


JANUARY,  1916 


NO.  1 


^^mmmmm^^^ 


"WITHIN  THE  EDISON  GATE"— See  page  8 

Gate  to  the  Edison  Laboratory  through  which  Mr.  Edison  passes  daily.     Beyond  is  Llezcellyn  Park 


THE"  ED  I  SON 
PHONOGRAPH      MONTH LY 

Published  in  the  interest  of 

EDISON  AMBEROLA  PHONOGRAPHS  AND  BLUE  AMBEROL  RECORDS 

By  THOMAS  A.  EDISON,  Inc. 

ORANGE,  N.  J.,  U.  S.  A. 

THOMAS  A.  EDISON,  LTD.,   164  WARDOUR  ST.,  LONDON,  W.  ENGLAND 

THOMAS  A.  EDISON,  LTD.,  364-372  KENT  STREET,  SYDNEY,  N.  S.  W. 

COMPANIA  EDISON  HISPANO-AMERICANA,  FLORIDA  635,  BUENOS  AIRES 

EDISON  GESELLSCHAFT,  M.  B.  H.  3  YORKSTRASSE,  BERLIN 

COMPAGNIE  FRANCAISE  THOMAS  A.  EDISON,  59  RUE  DES  PETITES-ECURIES,  PARIS 


Volume  XIV 


JANUARY,  1916 


Number  1 


U 


HIGH  WATER"   MARK    REACHED    IN   TONAL 
QUALITY  IN  THE  JANUARY 
BLUE  AMBEROLS 


"Q  OMEBODY  has  been  at  work,"  I  said 
ij  to  myself,  as  I  listened  to  record  after 
record  in  the  January  list  of  Blue 
Amberols.  Good  as  the  Blue  Amberol  was, 
the  recording  and  reproduction  have  both  taken 
a  decided  forward  step.  You  cannot  listen  to 
these  superb  records  and  fail  to  be  impressed 
that  they  mark  "High  Water"  in  Edison  Blue 
Amberol  results.  The  surface  noises  are  so 
largely  eliminated  as  to  amount  to  nothing. 
The  voices  are  clear,  distinct  and  resonant,  and 
wonderfully  free  from  metallic  qualities. 

Take  Van  Brunt's  "My  Wild  Irish  Rose" 
and  you  have  a  record  that  closely  vies  with 
any  disc  record  made;  I  prefer  it  to  the  Edison 
disc  of  the  same  song.  It  is  a  wonderful 
product,  so  even,  so  melodious,  so  clear  and  so 
human-like  in  its  quality  of  voice.  I  would 
not  want  to  listen  to  a  better  record  ;  I  doubt 
if  any  could  be  as  perfect.  Mr.  Cylinder 
Dealer,  if  your  prospective  customers  are  not 
charmed  with  that  kind  of  a  record,  they  cer- 
tainly have  no  ear  for  music.  And  to  think 
that  they  can  get  it  for  50  cents! 

And  so  I  might  go  down  the  January  list. 
The  Concert  Numbers — just  two — are  very, 
very  fine.  Every  record  in  the  list,  in  fact, 
makes   a   strong   claim   to  fine    recording   and 


reproduction.  One  may  not  like  every  selec- 
tion ;  that's  a  matter  of  individual  taste  in 
music;  but  you  can't  get  away  from  the  fact 
that  the  whole  list  marks  a  great  advance  in 
tonal  quality. 

And  then  the  list  itself  is  a  varied  one,  bound 
to  please  every  taste.  It  will  pay  you,  Mr. 
Cylinder  Dealer,  to  take  time  to  play  every 
record.  To  observe  the  improved  tonal  quality 
so  that  you  can  enthuse  over  it. 

"Somebody  has  been  at  work" — is  at  work 
to-day,  and  the  Blue  Amberol  is  receiving  a 
degree  of  care  and  attention  that  warrants  stiK 
more  perfect  results.  Every  step  in  its  manu- 
facture is  being  minutely  studied,  and  critical 
ears — far  more  critical  than  yours  or  mine — 
are  insisting  on  "results" ;  these  results  are  now 
becoming  more  and  more  apparent. 

The  Blue  Amberol  will  put  every  talking 
machine  on  the  run  for  real  musical  qualities ; 
for  naturalness ;  for  clear  and  resonant  enun- 
ciation. Just  watch  the  Blue  Amberol  improve 
and  improve!  It's  very  much  alive  to-day, 
but  it  has  not  yet  got  its  gait.  Those  who  are 
studying  it  believe  they  have  a  good  foundation 
on  which  to  build  up  a  record  that  will  far 
surpass  any  talking  machine  disc  on  the  market. 
It's  got  the  lead  already;  now 

WATCH  THE  BLUE  AMBEROL 
FORGE   AHEAD! 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  JANUARY,  1916 


From  Factory  to  Jobber  and  Dealer 


SOME  OF  THE  GOOD  THINGS  WE 
WISH  YOU  THIS  NEW  YEAR 

1**1 


WE    wish   you 
A  Happy  New    Year. 
A  Prosperous  New  Year. 

We  wish  you 

Many  new  prospects 

for  both  instruments  and  records. 

We  wish  you 

Many  fraternal  friendships — a  closer  acquain- 
tance with  other  Edison  cylinder  dealers. 

We  wish  you 

abundant  success  in  your  "International  Edison 
Dealers'  Association." 

We  wish  you 

the  most  cordial  and  satisfactory  relations  with 
the  Factory  and  your  Jobber.  (We  will  do  our 
part  to  make  it  so.) 

We  wish  you 

the  enthusiasm  and  industry  of  our  illustrious 
head — Mr.  Edison.  Acquire  his  habit — the 
work   habit. 

We  wish  you 

a  closer  acquaintance  with  your  prospects — 
that  acquaintance  which  ripens  into  valued 
business  friendships. 

We  wish  you 

financial  success  in  building  up  a  strong  and 
permanent  Edison  business. 

Above  all  we  wish  you 

a  successful,  happy  business  life  in  the  com- 
munity where  you  are  engaged  in  selling  Edison 
goods. 


HAVE  YOU  RESPONDED  TO  THE 

CALL  FOR  LOYAL  CYLINDER 

DEALERS? 

WE  printed  in  the  December  issue  a  page  of 
questions  for  cylinder  dealers  to  fill  out  and 
mail    to    us.      Have   you    done    so?      If   not 
please    send    the    page    today,    properly    filled    out. 
It  will  not  take  you  long  to   answer  the   questions 
raised  there.     This  is  important! 


HAVE    YOU    MADE    THE    TEST    OF 

TALKING  MACHINE  vs.  DIAMOND 

AMBEROLA  OUTLINED  IN  THE 

DECEMBER  ISSUE? 

IN  no  other  way  can  you  so  conclusively  realize 
the    superiority    of    the    Blue    Amberols.      It    is 
worth  a  little  extra  trouble  to  feel  the  glow  of 
satisfaction  which  will  come  to  you  as  you  listen  to 
the    Blue    Amberol    records    included    in    the    test. 
Try   it  out ! 


THE  WORD  "EDISON"  A  BUSINESS 

ASSET  ALMOST  BEYOND 

ESTIMATE 

EDISON  jobbers  and  dealers,"  remarks  a 
metropolitan  publication,  "should  fully 
appreciate  their  position  and  what  their 
association  with  this  distinguished  American  means 
in   a  business-building  sense." 

If  "Edison  Day,"  on  October  21st,  proved  anything 
at  all,  it  proved  the  drawing  power  of  the  name 
"Edison."  Out  at  the  Panama  Pacific  Exposition  it 
drew  a  greater  attendance  than  any  day  in  the 
entire  history  of  the  Fair.  We  are  told  that  the 
turn-stiles  clicked  off  98,492,  while  the  next  biggest 
day's  attendance  was  when  Theodore  Roosevelt  was 
there.  The  attendance  that  greeted  him  was 
95,290,  while  William  H.  Taft  drew  65,444  and 
Colonel  Goethals  55,468.  This  was  a  remarkable 
red-letter  day  in  Edison  history,  for  it  proved 
beyond  a  doubt  that  the  name  "Edison"  has  a  tre- 
mendous drawing  power. 

But  when  to  this  attendance  at  the  Fair  is  added 
the  prodigious  amount  of  publicity  given  Mr.  Edison 
while  in  San  Francisco,  not  only  by  the  press  of 
that  city  but  throughout  the  entire  country  from 
Maine  to  California,  there  is  no  overlooking  the 
fact  that  the  public  generally  are  intensely  inter- 
ested in   Mr.  Edison. 

"The  personality  of  Edison,"  remarks  a  metro- 
politan daily,  "is  always  of  interest  to  the  American 
people,  because  he  is  one  of  them — plain,  demo- 
cratic, intensely  human,  always  a  wTorker.  He  has 
won  it  fairly  and  honorably,  by  years  of  toil,  by 
inventive  genius,  and  by  marvelous  skill  in  varied 
lines." 

Here  is  a  business  asset  of  almost  incalculable 
value.  To  be  associated  with  such  a  man  of 
international  reputation  is  to  have  a  share  in  the 
general  confidence  and  esteem  which  is  his. 
"Edison"  stands  for  "worth  while." 

But  while  there  are  many  concerns  bearing  the 
name  of  "Edison" — such  as  the  numerous  electric 
light  companies — the  Edison  Phonograph  jobber  and 
dealer  enjoys  the  unique  distinction  of  being  asso- 
ciated directly  with  Mr.  Edison  at  his  laboratory 
to-day.      As    has   been    pointed    out   by   one    metro- 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  JANUARY,  1916 


From  Factory  to  Jobber  and  Dealer — Continued 


politan  newspaper  reporter,  "the  source  of  informa- 
tion most  closely  watched  next  to  the  White  House 
is  the  Mr.  Edison's  Private  Laboratory." 

It  is  a  great  thing  "to  take  hold  of  a  business 
proposition  that  has  the  public  eye  upon  it;  it  is  a 
profitable  venture  to  handle  a  product  that  has  an 
Edison  reputation,  because  Edison  has  "made  good" 
so  many,  many  times. 


TO  THE  EDISON  DEALER  WHO  HAS 

RECENTLY  TAKEN  ON  THE 

CYLINDER  LINE 

WE  desire  to  extend  you  a  helping  hand.    Feel 
free  to  write  us  on  any  point  about  which 
you   are   in   doubt.     Tell   us   of  your   diffi- 
culties;  tell   us  of  your  successes;    send   us  photos 
of  your  place  of  business — exterior  and  interior. 

We  give  below,  for  your  guidance,  a  list  of  one 

hundred    Blue   Amberols    that   are    among   those    a 

new   dealer   should   carry   in   stock   from   the   very 

start.     These   are  not  all  by  any  means,   but  they 

are  a  selected  list  that  will  enable  you  to  stock,  up 

with    some    of    the    most    popular    Blue    Amberols 

issued.     We   propose   next  month   to   give    another 

list  of  one   hundred.     Study  these   lists   and   order 

a  supply  of  each  number  at  once: 

DOMESTIC. 

1503      1812     2339     2466     2606 

1514     1821     2353     2475     2608 

1517     1863     2368     2487     2609 

1525     1889     2373     2489     2610 

1528     1899     2393     2507     2617 

1532     1917     2404     2524     2626 

1547     1925     2405     2527     2632 

1557     1989     2411     2535     2640 

1583     2081     2439     2536     2657 

1600     2099     2442     2547     2658 

1606     2103     2443     2548     2678 

1626     2104     2444     2553     2693 

1651     2128     2447     2556     2695 

1755     2138     2448     2581     2707 

1798     2213     2453     2596     2718 

1807     2217     2457     2598     2738 

BRITISH 

23001  23017  23107  23134  23280 

23003  23048  23117  23150  23363 

CONCERT  AND  GRAND  OPERA 

28101  28133     28165    28172    28196 

28102  28161     28166    28186    28197 


INTRODUCING   THE   EDISON  TO 

OFFICIALS  AND  EMPLOYEES 

OF  GREAT  MILLS 

OPPORTUNITIES  for  bringing  the  Edison  to 
large    groups   of    individuals    arise    in    every 
community.    The  energetic  Edison  dealer  gets 
word  of  these  happenings  in  advance.     Right  there 


is  the  advantage  of  being  on  intimate  terms  with 
influential  members  of  all  kinds  of  local  organiza- 
tions. The  Edison  dealer  must  make  himself 
popular  and  so  get  inside  information  in  advance 
of  social  and  other  coming  events.  For  instance 
he  may  not  be  a  baseball  enthusiast;  yet,  for  busi- 
ness ends  he  ought  to  be  so  much  in  touch  with  the 
sport  as  to  know  of  what  is  going  to  happen. 

Such  was  the  case  with  one  of  our  dealers  in  a 
large  mill-town  in  New  England.  Here  was  a  local 
organization  known  as  the  "Industrial  League" 
composed  almost  exclusively  of  mill  operators  and 
mill  officials  and  largely  centering  around  baseball. 

Our  enterprising  dealer  there  was  alive  to  the 
importance  of  this  organization  and  watched  his 
opportunity  to  utilize  it  for  exploiting  the  Edison. 
At  last  it  came,  and  he  heard  of  the  proposed 
banquet  long  in  advance  and  secured  the  privilege 
of  demonstrating  the  Edison. 


EVERY    EDISON    DEALER    SHOULD 
START   A    SCRAP-BOOK- 
SEVERAL  OF  THEM 

TOO  often  things  are  pigeon-holed  and  when 
wanted  are  hard  to  find.  The  successful 
Cylinder  dealer  cannot  afford  to  spend  time 
hunting  for  helpful  data.  We  suggest  that  he 
start  at  once  an  Edison  scrap-book;  perhaps  two  or 
three.  Let  one  be  a  scrap-book  of  "Edison  Hints" 
— that  is,  items  that  will  be  serviceable  in  helping 
him  to  advertise  effectively,  or  to  send  out  result- 
fetching  letters.  He  will  be  surprised  how  soon 
it  will  become  a  great  time-and-labor-saver ;  not 
that  he  ever  expects  to  copy  others'  work,  but  that 
he  gets  suggestions  that  help  him  write  new  adver- 
tisements, new  letters,  new  circulars.  As  the  plan 
develops  he  will  find  he  needs  more  than  one  scrap- 
book  for  Edison  business. 


A  PLEASING  COMPLIMENT 

I  CERTAINLY  wish  to  offer  congratulations 
upon  the  last  two  issues  (October  and  Novem- 
ber) of  the  Phonograph  Monthly.  It  cer- 
tainly comes  right  up  to  the  scratch.  It  is  an  issue 
in  our  work,  capable  of  firing  the  energy  of  all  of 
us  to  the  possibilities  contained  in  the  new  Edison. 
I  want  to  be  one  of  the  first  people  to  acknowledge 
this  new  and  admirable  force  which  we  have  added 
to  our  business. 

"Anyone  who  would  not  read  these  numbers 
entire  and  profit  by  them  immensely  is  not  in  the 
Edison  business  but  is  conducting  an  eleemosynary 
institutions  for  a  class  of  sub-normals." — M.  M. 
Blackman,  Manager  of  the  Phonograph  Company  of 
Kansas  City. 

When  you  have  an  encouraging  item  of  news 
pass  it  on  to  us  so  we  can  tell  it  to  thousands 
in  these  pages. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  JANUARY,  1916 


Out  Among  Our  Enterprising  Dealers 


IF  we  don't  get  around  as  often  as  you  think  we  should,  don't  forget  that  we  are  always  glad 
to  hear  from  you  and  know  of  any  good  stunts  you  have  pulled  off.     Don't  wait  for  us  to 
ask  for  these ;  send  accounts  of  them  while  they  are  fresh  in  your  mind.     Send  us  photos 
of  your  store,  your  window,  or  of  any  event  that  you  feel  we  should  be  interested  in.    We  will 
be  glad  to  get  it;  and,  if  possible,  use  it. 


THE   PHONOGRAPH  STORE  OF 
MEADVILLE,  PENNA. 

LEWIS  G.  DuVALL,  proprietor  of  this  attract- 
ive store,  devotes  almost  the  entire  space  to 
Edison  Phonographs,  although  he  carries  other 
lines  of  goods,  such  as  sewing  machines,  etc.  He 
devotes  the  front  part  of  the  store  to  the  Edison 
Cylinder  line,  and  one  feature  quite  prominent  is  a 
Blue  Amberol  Record  rack  fifteen  feet  long,  which 
holds  twenty-two  hundred  and  eighty-eight  (2288) 
records. 

Right  in  front  of  this  he  keeps  a  table  full  of 
surplus  stock  records  all  the  time.  On  this  table 
he  keeps  also  a  good  many  records  that  are  not 
good  sellers.  He  says  one  would  be  surprised  at 
the  amount  of  records  he  sells  from  this  case  to 
customers  who  look  them  over  and  pick  out  those 
they  think  they  will  like.  This  strikes  us  as  an 
excellent  method  to  work  off  a  surplus  stock. 

When  a  recital  is  to  begin,  folding  chairs  are 
called  into  use,  and  the  sewing  machines  are  moved 
to  one  side.  By  economical  use  of  space  some 
seventy-five  or  eighty  persons  can  be  accommodated. 


EDISON    DEALERS'   ASSOCIATION 

ALL  of  you  have  heard  about  the  Dealers' 
Conference  that  was  held  at  the  Edison  Lab- 
oratories on  August  9th  and  10th,  1915. 

Officers  were  elected  as  follows: 

President,  Ralph  B.  Smith,  Columbus,  Ohio; 
Vice-President,  Harry  M.  Meyer,  Pittsfield,  Mass.; 
Secretary,  Gust.  Holmquist,  Erie,  Pa.;  Treasurer, 
D.  J.   Crowley,  Baltimore,  Md. 

Honorary  members  were  elected  as  follows: 
Thomas  A.  Edison,  C.  H.  Wilson,  Vice-President 
and  General  Manager  Thomas  A.  Edison,  Inc.; 
William  Maxwell,  Second  Vice-President  Thomas 
A.  Edison,  Inc.;  E.  J.  Berggren,  Secretary  and 
Treasurer  Thomas  A.  Edison,  Inc.;  A.  C.  Ireton, 
General    Sales   Manager   Thomas  A.   Edison,   Inc. 

Thomas  A.  Edison,  Inc.,  is  in  no  sense  sponsor 
for  the  International  Edison  Phonograph  Dealers' 
Association,  but  it  believes  that  much  good  can 
be  accomplished  by  this  Association,  and,  as  evi- 
denced by  the  fact  that  its  officials  have  become 
honorary  members,  the  Company  is  disposed  to 
work  with   the  Association. 

Gust.  Holmquist,  of  Erie,  Pa.,  the  hustling  Sec- 
retary of  the  International  Edison  Phonograph 
Dealers'  Association,  has  already  obtained  a  large 
number  of  applications  for  membership. 

If  you  wish  a  copy  of  the  Association's  constitu- 
tion, write  the  secretary.  If  you  have  any  sug- 
gestions to  offer,  write  him,  but  be  sure  above  all 
things  to  mail  your  application  with  your  check 
for  $1,  the  membership   fee. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  JANUARY,  1916 


Getting  and  Holding  Prospects 


WE  want  to  make  this  one  of  the  most  helpful  features  of  the  Monthly.   It  is  a  broad 
subject,  yet  it  is  specific.     Every  dealer  is  vitally  interested,  for  it  is  the  heart  of  the 
business.     One  suggestion  prompts  another;  one  experience  related  calls  out  another. 
So  we  cordially  invite  every  Cylinder  dealer  to   contribute  his   views   and   his   experiences.      It 
will  be  a  sort  of  Get-together  Round  Table. 


SELL  EDISONS  TO  THE 
FOREIGN  ELEMENT  IN  YOUR 
NEIGHBORHOOD 

THERE  is  scarcely  one  of  the  larger  cities 
and  towns  in  the  United  States  that  does  not 
contain  quite  a  foreign  population.  Take  the 
little  town  of  Meadville,  Pa.,  for  example.  There 
the  Edison  dealer,  Lewis  G.  Du  Vail,  has  found 
quite  a  trade  in  Edison  Phonographs  with  the 
better  class  of  Italians.  At  first  one  would  say  he 
must  have  Italian  records  to  reach  and  hold  this 
class  of  people.  Mr.  Du  Vail  has  contrary 
experience,  and  says  they  don't  care  much  for 
Italian  records,  but  buy  mostly  the  American 
records;    they   seem   to   like   these   the   best. 

He  recently  gave  a  recital  for  his  Italian  con- 
stituency and  had  a  fine  turn-out  of  the  best  class 
of  Italians.     The  invitation  was  in  Italian. 

It  is  a  perfectly  feasible  plan.  Perhaps  the 
best  way  to  go  about  it  is  to  work  through  the 
minister  of  the  Italian — or  other  foreign — church 
in  the  neighborhood.  In  this  way  the  minister 
can  furnish  a  number  of  addresses  of  persons 
likely  to  be  interested  and  can  probably  be  induced 
to  attend  the  recital  in  person  and  make  a  brief 
address,    besides    act    as    interpreter. 

The  same  plan  could  be  worked  in  regard  to 
the  German  settlements  in  our  cities  and  towns, 
or  the  French  in  certain  cities  like  New  Orleans, 
Montreal,  Quebec,  etc.,  while  the  Scandinavian 
people  in  the  Northwest  are  another  class  equally 
approachable. 


AN  EXCELLENT  IDEA 

THE  Phonograph  Co.  of  Chicago  makes  good 
use  of  small  cards  about  the  size  of  a  No.  6 
envelope  containing  these  words: 

PLEASE  ANSWER 

(One   answer    sufficient) 

Did    you    become    interested    in    the    New    Edison    through 

our     advertising? 

What     paper  ? 

Through   a  friend  who   owns  an   Edison! 


By  hearing  it   demonstrated   at  a   Church? 

Club? Lodge? 

Or    special    gathering? 

Or    did    you   just   happen    to    drop    in    the    Shop    one    day? 

How,  if  in  none  of  the  above  ways? 


THAT   FORD    CHECK   FOR  £50   AND 

THE  EDISON  DEALERS  WHO 

WENT  AFTER  IT. 

EVERY  one  knows  that  Henry  Ford,  of  auto- 
mobile fame,  agreed  to  refund  $50  on  the 
price  of  every  automobile  of  his  make  if  a 
certain  number  were  sold  up  to  August,  1915. 
Harger  &  Blish,  of  Des  Moines,  knew  it,  too,  and 
planned  to  get  after  every  Ford  automobilist  in 
Iowa.  They  supplied  their  dealers  with  copies  of 
the  following  letter  giving  each  dealer  the  names 
of  all  Ford  owners  for  miles  around: 

"Who  ever  heard  of  Santa  Claus  making  a  call 
in   August! 

Many  a  time  when  you  were  little,  you've  wished 
to  have  Christmas  come  twice  a  year  and  now  for 
the  first  time  in  your  life  your  wish  has  actually 
come  true — Uncle  Henry  Ford,  of  Ford  Automobile 
fame,  in  the  role  of  Santa  Claus  is  going  to  give 
you  a  mid-summer  pleasure  of  finding  a  Fifty- 
Dollar  Check  in  your  stocking,  some  morning  be- 
tween now  and  August  15th. 

Why  not  give  yourself  some  added  pleasure — 
with  that  money. 

There  are  rainy  days,  chilly  evenings,  and  soon 
will  be  long  evenings  when  the  time  drags— rwhat 
would  be  more  enjoyable  then,  than  to  have  in 
your  home  one  of  Mr.  Edison's  Wonderful  Musical 
Instruments. 

That  Fifty-Dollar  'Ford'  Check  would  be  a 
splendid   starter." 

Among  others,  one  dealer  received  the  following 
reply: 

"Yours  at  hand  with  suggestion  as  to  a  proper 
disposition  of  $50  Ford  rebate.  Kindly  accept  our 
thanks  for  same. 

We  have,  however,  the  following  uses  for  this 
$50  which  may  be  prior  claims  upon  this  fund: 

1.  Finish   paying  for   car. 

2.  Pay  back  grocery  bills. 

3.  Pay  bank  overdraft. 

4.  Lay  in  winter's  coal. 

5.  Pay  doctor's  bill. 

6.  Pay  interest  on  our  notes. 

7.  Buy  new  carpet  for  dining-room. 

8.  Buy  winter  wrap  for  wife. 

9.  Buy  overcoat   (self). 

10.  Have   piano  tuned   and   kitchen    papered. 
And  990  others. 

We  have  put  your  suggestion  on  our  list  but  its 
number  in  point  of  priority  is  1001." 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  JANUARY,  1916 


The  Dealer's  Window  from  the  Inside  and  Outside 


JANUARY  DIAMOND 
AMBEROLA   WINDOW  DISPLAY 

NOW  that  the  Christmas  and   New  Year   rush 
is  over,  let  every  Cylinder  dealer  bestir  him- 
self   and   change   his   window    display.      We 
submit  herewith  a  New  Year's  design,  very  easy  to 
make,   and   effective. 

The  window  we  have  planned  for  measures 
four  feet  deep  by  seven  feet  wide,  but  these 
dimensions  are  not  arbitrary;  you  can  fit  the 
design  to  any  size  window. 


Amberola  75  is  set  squarely  in  the  center  of  the 
window,  well  towards  the  back.  A  pedestal  on 
each  side,  24  inches  in  height,  is  used.  A  piece 
of  colored  cardboard  is  suspended  from  the  front 
of  the  pedestal,  on  which  is  fastened  a  Diamond 
Amberola  catalog.  Blue  Amberol  cartons  are  then 
piled  on  step  of  the  pedestal  as  shown. 

Right  in  the  foreground  notice  that  the  word 
"Edison"  is  spelled  out  on  the  floor  by  using  Blue 
Amberol  cartons.  Twenty-five  records  are  then 
arranged  in  a  semicircle  immediately  to  the  rear  of 
this.  Appropriate  literature  is  distributed  through- 
out the  display. 


A  New  Year  Edison  W7indow  Design  for  Dealers  to  Copy 

Here's  the  way  to  go  about  it:  Get  a  sheet  of 
cardboard  22  x  28  inches.  On  this  letter  nicely 
the  New  Year  Resolution:  "Resolved,  That  I  will 
start  the  New  Year  right  by  installing  an  Edison 
Diamond  Amberola  in  my  home  this  year."  Place 
it  in  the  background  in  the  center  of  the  width  of 
the  window.  A  half  sheet,  as  shown  in  the  photo- 
graph, is  for  each  corner.  Between  each  of  these, 
in  the  center,  is  attached  another  strip  of  cardboard 
twelve  inches  wide.  On  this  strip  fasten  the  hour- 
glasses, cut  out  of  some  contrastive  colored  paper. 

The  dainty  lilac  foliage  is  readily  obtained  from 
your  stationer.  It  is  used  to  give  a  touch  of  color 
and    liven    up    the    window    effect.      The    Diamond 

The  Window  in  Outline 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  JANUARY,  1916 


Within  the  Edison  Gate 


UNDER  this  caption  we  purpose  each  month  to  give  some  interesting  items  concerning 
the  life  "within  the  gate."  Mention  will  be  made  of  those  jobbers,  dealers  and  others 
who  have  visited  us  during  the  previous  month,  as  far  as  the  editor  is  able  to  get  their 
names.  And  then  we  want  to  tell  the  far-away  dealer — the  one  who  seldom,  if  ever,  gets  to 
the  Edison  Gate — some  of  the  things  that  he  will  be  much  interested  to  know.  From  what 
is  said  below  the  thoughtful  man  will  realize  that  "the  new  and  greater  Edison  plant"  pre- 
dicted by  Mr.  Edison  the  day  after  the  great  fire  (December  9th,  19 14)  is  a  reality  today; 
that  the  lessons  learned  by  that  fire  have  resulted  in  a  solidarity  of  reconstruction  that  makes 
for  permanency  and  efficiency. 

OUR  FRONT  COVER  PICTURE 

THIS  was  taken  from  a  point  inside  the  main 
Edison  entrance,  directly  in  front  of  the 
Laboratory  entrance.  We  consider  it  espe- 
cially artistic,  largely  due  to  nature's  own  handi- 
work. The  way  the  snow  has  brought  out  the  vine 
that  trails  about  the  arch  is  exceptionally  beautiful; 
no  artist  could  have  done  as  well.  It  reminds  one 
of  the  embossed  work  on  a  handsome  silver  vase. 
Through  this  gate  Mr.  Edison  passes  daily  on  his 
way  to  the  Laboratory. 


THE  PAST  MONTH'S  CALLERS 

THE  factory  has  been  favored  with  calls  dur- 
ing the  past  month  from: 
A.  R.  Pommer  of  the  Pacific  Phonograph  Co. 
W.  O.  Pardee  of  Pardee,  Ellenberger  &  Co. 

B.  W.  Smith  of  The  Phonograph  Company  of 
Cincinnati,   Ohio. 

R.  B.  Cope  of  the  GirSrd  Phonograph  Co. 

C.  B.  Haynes  of  C.  B.  Haynes  &  Co. 

F.  K.  Babson  of  the  Phonograph  Co.  of  Chicago 
and  G.  L.  Babson  of  the  Phonograph  Corporation 
of  Manhattan,   New  York. 


THE  FACTORY  IN  WINTER  ATTIRE 

WINTER  in  all  its  old-time  glory  descended 
suddenly  upon  the  factory  on  the  afternoon 
of  December  13th.  As  the  night  came  on 
the  storm  of  snow  and  hail  and  sleet  increased 
in   fury. 

The  scene  was  an  impressive  one,  as  the  bril- 
liant lights  from  the  huge  buildings  stood  out  in 
strong  contrast  with  the  howling  storm.  Within 
thousands  of  employees  went  about  their  work 
unmindful  of  the  storm.  What  a  contrast  to 
December,   1914! 

When  the  morning  came  every  structure  "within 
the  Edison  gate"  was  wrapped  in  a  mantle  of 
white;  yet  little,  if  any,  hindrance  was  occasioned 
to  the  trend  of  factory  life.  There  were  no  build- 
ings "too  cold  to  work  in";  there  were  no  frozen 
pipes;  no  evidence  at  all  within  that  a  furious 
storm  all  night  had  howled  about  them.  On  the 
contrary  everything  was  as  ready  for  the  working 
force  as  if  it  were  mid-summer.  The  heating 
system  of  these  huge  buildings  has  been  so  perfected 
that  the  most  severe  storm  occasions  no  inconven- 
ience,  no   delav. 


MR.  EDISON'S  OLDEST  EMPLOYEE 
47  YEARS  WITH  EDISON 

JOHN  OTT,  still  in  the  Edison  Laboratory,  has 
the  unique  distinction  of  being  the  oldest  em- 
ployee of  Mr.  Edison.  He  has  been  with  him 
since  1869 — 4-7  years.  It  was  in  the  little  cramped 
quarters  in  New- 
ark, N.  J.,  in  the 
neighborhood  o  f 
Market  Street  De- 
pot, that  Mr.  Ott 
first  became  an  Edi- 
son man.  He  has 
been  a  continuous 
employee  all 
through  Mr.  Edi- 
son's wonderful  ca- 
reer, and  is  still  to- 
day one  of  his  ac- 
tive draftsmen. 

If  you  want  to  be 
entertained  with 
many  reminiscences 
that  sound  like  a 
strange  and  fasci- 
nating novel  told  in 
a  plain  and  direct 
manner,  you  have  only  to  find  Mr.  Ott  when  he  is 
not  busy   (which  is  seldom). 

Mr.  Ott  was  born  in  Jersey  City,  N.  J.,  in  1850, 
and  therefore  in  his  65th  year.  He  is  quite  am 
invalid,  being  obliged  to  use  two  crutches  when 
walking;  and  yet  he  is  at  his  drawing-board  day 
after  day. 

We  extend  to  Mr.  Ott  this  New  Year  season 
our  most  cordial  greeting,  and  wish  him  many 
additional  years  in  the  employ  of  his  illustrious  and 
faithful  chief.  It  is  Mr.  Ott's  idea  that  a  man  is 
never  incapacitated  for  work. 


TWO   STRUCTURES   AWAKEN 
CURIOSITY 

ONE,  no,  two  buildings  "within  the  Edison 
gate"  always  look  cold  and  cheerless.  They 
have  no  windows;  they  have  no  chimneys; 
they  have  no  flag  poles;  they  have  no  ornamenta- 
tion. Like  two  solid  huge  rocks,  they  are  silent, 
dark  and  cold.  And  yet  within  they  are  two  of 
the  brightest-lighted,  cleanest,  best  ventilated, 
evenly    warmed     buildings     in     the     whole     Edison 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  JANUARY,  1916 


Within  the  Edison  Gate — Continued 


The  Edison  Blue  Amberol  Vault 

group.      They    are    the    Disc   Vault    and    the    Blue 
Amberol  Vault,  where  the  master-moulds  are  kept. 

In  each  building  there  is  just  one  man — the  cus- 
todian. His  work  is  to  see  that  the  interior  is 
kept  as  nearly  as  possible,  summer  and  winter, 
at  a  temperature  of  60  degrees;  that  not  a  particle 
of  dust  is  allowed  to  collect;  that  the  ventilation  is 
attended  to  by  means  of  an  electric  fan  exhaust; 
but  above  all,  he  is  to  handle  most  carefully  the 
master  records  and  to  see  that  they  are  stored  away 
systematically;  that  a  transcript  is  kept  of  their 
number,  date  of  entry,  and  such  other  items  as  are 
desirable. 

To  this  custodian  is. entrusted  the  careful  keeping 
of  the  original  master-moulds  and  to  him  are 
returned  the  sub-master-moulds  when  the  process 
of  manufacture  has  released  them.  It  takes  a  man 
of  intelligence,  system  and  reliability  to  care  for 
these  precious  moulds.  Evidently  the  two  men 
chosen  for  this  work  are  well  fitted  for  their 
tasks.  The  storage  capacity  of  the  Disc  Record 
Vault  is  40,000  master-moulds;  the  capacity  of 
the  Blue  Amberol  Vault  is  60,000  moulds.  Both 
structures  are  the  result  of  lessons  learned  by  the 
fire,  for  while  no  original  records  were  lost  at  that 
time,  it  was  found  prudent  to  have  all  master 
records  separately  housed. 

Our  "Holy  of  Holies,"  shall  we  call  these  vaults? 
Here  are  enshrined  the  immortal  voices  of  Edison 
artists;  here  are  kept  the  imperishable  records  of 
instrumental  skill  on  violin,  on  harp,  on  piano — 
on  all  musical  instruments.  If  the  names  of  these 
illustrious  artists  are  considered,  we  might  style 
these  vaults  our  "Westminster  Abbeys,"  except 
that  instead  of  holding  the  mortal  remains  of  the 
illustrious  dead  they  hold  the  imperishable  songs 
and  art  of  illustrious  immortals. 


THE  DEAR  OLD  "LAB" 
MADE  MORE  FIRE-PROOF 

MR.  EDISON'S  private  Laboratory— the  old 
brick  building  that  the  fire  did  not  touch — 
has  now  been  fitted  with  all  steel  wire-glass 
windows  and  (outside)  doors.  Every  wooden  case- 
ment has  been  banished.  From  the  exterior  at  least 
it  is  fireproof,  or  nearly  so.  The  large  boiler  room 
at  the  east  end  of  the  structure,  heretofore  used  to 
generate  power,  is  now  unused,  the  heat  and  power 
being  brought  from  the  central  power  house  on 
Alden  Street.  This  arrangement  not  only  works 
for  economy  in  operation,  but  lessens  the  danger 
from  fire. 

EDISON  FACTORY  NOW  A  GIGANTIC 
LABORATORY 

ONE  of  the  first  things  Thomas  A.  Edison  did  when 
he  went  to  Washington  recently  to  act  as  chair- 
man of  the  Naval  Advisory  Board  was  to  recom- 
mend that  the  Government  establish  a  35,000,000 
laboratory  and  appropriate  $2, 500,000  a  year  to  run  it. 
The  suggestion  was  heartily  approved. 

That  was  Mr.  Edison's  first  step  toward  providing  the 
nation  with  an  invincible  defense.  It  shows  the  trend 
of  Mr.  Edison's  mind.  It  shows  why  Edison  products 
are  superior.  Invariably  the  design,  material  and 
process  of  manufacture  of  Edison  products  are  based  on 
deep  scientific  research. 

Do  you,  Mr.  Dealer,  realize  the  significance  of 
this?  Do  you  properly  distinguish  in  your  own  mind 
this  wonderful  scientific  product  from  the  numerous 
devices  for  the  mechanical  reproduction  of  musical 
sounds  known  individually  by  their  various  trade  names 
but  collectively  as  talking  machines?  There  can  be  no 
comparison  of  the  Edison  products  with  talking 
machines,  because  the  Edison  is  incomparably  superior. 


The  Edison  Disc  Vault 


10 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  JANUARY,  1916 


THO.VIAS    P.    WtbTENDORF    AND    DAUGHTER 

ITS  NATURALNESS  OF  TONE 

WE  want  to  go  on  record  as  enthusiastic 
believers  in  whatever  Mr.  Edison  declares 
to  be  his  best.  We  have  had  two  of  the 
"Needle  Scratching"  whirligigs  in  our  possession 
and  we  would  not  hesitate  to  declare  that  there  is 
no  comparison  between  them  and  the  "Little  Old 
Cylinder"  that  has  provided  this  institution  with 
entertainment,  enjoyment  and  instruction  for  the 
past  two  years,  and  is  still  as  necessary  to  our 
comfort  and  happiness  as — well,  as  is  the  sunlight. 

"If  we  were  to  say  what  is  Edison  Amberola's 
chief  advantage,  we  would  have  to  declare  that  we 
have  a  whole  lot  of  fun,  and  no  little  satisfaction, 
in  making  our  own  records.  Just  think  what  we  get 
out  of  it  in  this  line.  We  have  about  two  hundred 
of  the  home  recording  records  that  have  been  in 
use  for  the  past  two  years.  We  would  like  to  play 
some  of  these  against  the  best  of  the  "Scratch 
Needle"  contraptions.  Of  course,  so  much  depends 
on  the  quality  of  tone  to  be  recorded — resonance, 
timbre,  etc. — that  some  are  better  than  others,  but 
we  have  quite  a  number  that  we  are  satisfied  can 
not  be  surpassed  either  for  tone  or  real  heart- 
reaching  naturalness. 

"The  Blue  Amberol  has  the  advantage  of  dura- 
bility without  sacrificing  the  naturalness  of  the 
tone  recorded.  It  does  not  require  such  careful 
handling,  as  other  records,  for  it  is  indestructible. 
This  is  its  chief  advantage.  The  diamond  point 
makes  one  feel  that  nothing  is  wearing  out. 

"Yes,  Mr.  Edison  came  pretty  near  striking  it 
the  first  time  he  tried." 

Thomas  P.  Westendorf  and  Daughter, 

Bartlett.  Tenn. 


ITS  WIDE  RANGE  OF  SELECTIONS 

THE    following    letter,    written     personally    to 
Mr.  Edison,  is  of  interest  at  this  time: 

"You  cannot  know  how  much  I  appreciate 
the  beautiful  selections  you  are  making  on  the  Blue 
Amberol  Records,  both  in  the  Concert  and  the 
Regular  lists.     There  have  been  times  when   I  felt 


awfully  blue  and  lonesome,  but  these  Blue  Amberol 
Records  cheered  me  up  wonderfully.  I  have  a 
$125.00  Amberola. 

"I  watch  very  patiently  from  month  to  month 
and  I  am  happy  to  say  that  there  is  a  great  uplift 
in  the  Blue  Amberol  Records.  The  recording  is 
fine !  The  records  run  smoothly  and  seem  to  be  of 
a  uniform  excellence. 

"I  notice  I  can  get  about  the  same  music  (and 
sometimes  better)  on  the  Blue  Amberol  as  is  put  out 
on  the  Disc.  This  I  appreciate  ever  so  much.  It  is 
the  fair  thing  to  do  toward  owners  of  Cylinder 
machines  and  thereby  you  are  giving  us  a  square 
deal.     Many  thanks! 

"I  feel  so  happy  over  the  Amberola  situation  that 
I  just  had  to  express  myself. 

"W.  H.  SURBER,  Wabash,  Ind." 


AN  EDISON  AMBEROLA  ON  THE 
FRONTIER 

uy     AST  December  in  company  with  a  banker  of 

1  j  wide  influence  from  Chicago  and  a  number 
of  other  persons  interested  in  various  lines 
of  work,"  writes  W.  C.  Olin  of  Denver,  Colo.,  "I 
took  a  trip  by  auto  from  Winnemucca  several  hun- 
dred miles  into  the  cattle  country.  One  hundred 
and  seventy  miles  from  Winnemucca  we  came  to 
a  postoffice  that  has  the  reputation  of  being  the 
most  remote  from  a  railroad  of  any  postoffice  in 
the  United  States.  The  name  of  this  postoffice  is 
'Andrews,  Ark.' 

"Fifteen  miles  beyond  the  postoffice  we  were 
entertained  for  the  night  at  the  headquarters  of  a 
very  large  stock  ranch,  the  property  of  a  Mr.  Clerf. 

"After  a  sumptuous  supper  we  were  invited  into 
the  sitting  room.  Here,  before  big  back-logs  snap- 
ping merrily  and  flaming  brightly  in  the  fireplace, 
we  enjoyed  a  concert  that  was  most  delightful.  It 
was  given  to  us  by  Mrs.  Clerf  on  her  new  Edison 
machine,  which  her  husband  had  recently  made  her 
a   present  of. 

"This  was  the  first  time  I  had  ever  heard  an 
Edison.  It  had  been  my  rare  privilege  to  hear 
in  person  many  of  the  musicians  whose  scores  I 
heard  repeated.  The  music  as  it  came  from  this 
machine  was  so  clear,  so  natural,  that  I  was 
startled,  for  the  moment  thinking  that  the  musician 
was  in  our  very  presence. 

"You  may  be  able  to  imagine  what  a  source  of 
pleasure  and  delight  this  concert  was  to  us  in  the 
environment  of  the  wild  call  of  the  coyote,  the 
lowing  of  the  herd  of  cattle  and  the  wide  waste  of 
seemingly  limitless  prairie  stretching  as  far  as 
eye  could  see  all  around  us. 

"At  the  close  of  the  entertainment  our  friend 
the  Chicago  banker  thanked  Mrs.  Clerf  for  the 
pleasure  of  the  evening  and  stated  that  it  was  one 
of  the  most  pleasant  concerts  that  he  had  ever 
attended,  and  that  he  could  not  remember  when 
he  had  more  thoroughly  enjoyed  an  evening  than 
he  had  this  one. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  JANUARY,  1916 


w 


11 


Getting 

Street 

Publicity 

for 

the 

Edison 

HEREVER  an  opportunity  offers,  it  will  pay  the  local  Edison  dealer  to  "get  in  the 
parade."  The  advertising  thus  secured  more  than  offsets  the  trouble  and  expense. 
In  no  other  way  can  one  get  so  much  publicity  for  so  little  outlay. 


THE  EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  IN 
LOCAL   PARADES 

A  NOVEL  Labor  Day  Parade  was  held  this 
year  at  Newark,  Ohio.  Many  unique  fea- 
tures were  shown,  but  none  more  so  than 
the  Edison  Phonograph,  the  work  of  our  enterpris- 
ing dealers  there,  The  Stewart  Bros.  &  Alward 
Co.  They  conceived  the  idea  of  a  huge  Edison 
Phonograph.  It  stood  sixteen  feet  high  (with  the 
lid  raised)  by  four  feet  eight  inches  wide  and  six 
feet  four  inches  deep — amply  large  enough  to  take 
in  four  chairs  with  a  four-piece  orchestra,  playing 
the  entire  length  of  the  march. 

This  huge  Edison  cabinet  was  mounted  on  a 
float  with  a  platform  8x16  feet.  In  the  construction 
of  the  cabinet  heavy  muslin  was  used,  and  the 
woodwork  was  gilded.  They  used  an  air  brush  to 
get  this  on  even,  which  made  the  machine  show  up 
in  very  good  shape.  For  a  handle  a  two-inch  pipe, 
24  inches  long,  with  an  8-inch  knob  was  used. 

From  an  advertising  point  of  view  it  was  easily 
the  most  attractive  feature  in  all  that  very  novel 
parade  and  many  favorable  comments  were  heard 
on  all  sides. 


Stewart  Bros.  &  Alward  Co.'s 
Edison  Phonograph  Float,  Newark,  O. 
Another  very  attractive  float  was  that  of  J.  R. 
Klingensmith  &  Co.  of  Greenburg,  Pa.,  during  Edison 
week,  October  18  to  23.  On  this  occasion  four  horses 
were  attached  to  a  dray  of  considerable  proportions 
It  attracted  a  great  deal  of  attention  and  was  most 
favorably  commented  upon. 


... 

|ffffl^W*f?l 

4  1 

"it-         Wllliiil::5 

=.  U  *  n 

:fH§ 

■ii 

J.  R.  Klingensmith  &  Co.'s   Float  During  Edison  Week 
Greensburg,  Pa. 


12 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  JANUARY,  1916 


Edison   Salesmansh  ip 


LITTLE   SERMONS   IN  FEW  WORDS 
TO  EDISON  CYLINDER  DEALERS 

THE  way  to  make  a  success  of  your  Edison  Cylinder 
store  is  to  make  people  feel  they  can't   get   along 
without  it.    You  accomplish  this  by  giving  them 
such  service  as  they  can't  get  elsewhere. 

The  successful  Edison  salesman  talks  to  his  prospect. 
The  unsuccessful  salesman  talks  at  his  prospect. 
See  the  point? 

Then  again  the  successful  salesman  talks  about 
what  he  knows  he  knows.  The  unsuccessful  salesman 
talks  about  what  he  thinks  he  knows. 

Make  the  inquirer  feel  at  ease  and  welcome  to  your 
store.  There  are  a  thousand-and-one  ways  to  do  it, 
but  the  easiest  is  a  smile  and  a  "good  morning." 


THE       SALESMAN       THAT       SUR- 
MOUNTS   MOUNTAINS   TO   SELL 
EDISONS  BY  THE  TELEPHONE 
CENTRAL  OFFICE 

ANEW   kink   in   phonograph    selling   was   de- 
veloped by  Bert  Bailey  of  the  Eureka  Phono- 
graph Company  while  on  a  trip  in  the  Wil- 
low   Creek   district,    Colorado,    from    which    he    re- 
cently returned. 

Owing  to  the  impossi- 
bility of  reaching  the 
widely  separated  homes  of 
the  residents  of  that  sec- 
tion Mr.  Bailey  hit  upon 
the  idea  of  giving  a  con- 
cert demonstrating  the 
perfection  of  the  Edison 
Phonograph,  which  he 
represented.  Instead  of 
renting  a  hall  and  giving 
the  exhibition  in  the  usual 
manner,  he  went  to  the  hotel  at  Willow  Creek, 
where  the  telephone  exchange  is  located,  and  by 
connecting  all  the  subscribers  with  the  main  office 
gave  a  concert  that  was  heard  by  telephone  by  all 
the  people  in  the  neighborhood  in  their  own  homes. 
Several  sales  resulted  and  the  machines  were 
delivered  satisfactorily,  but  with  some  inconveni- 
ence to  the  salesman,  since  several  large  cabinet 
machines  had  to  be  carried  by  pack  horse  over  the 
mountain  trails  that  could  not  be  traveled  even  by 
his   faithful   Ford. 


NO  SALESMAN  AT  ALL 

NOT  long  ago  a  certain  salesman,  who  is  of 
the  high  collar  type,  accustomed  to  deal  with 
ladies  of  the  fashionable  world,  greeted  with 
disdain  a  poorly  dressed  man  of  past  middle  age 
who  entered  the  shop  near  closing  time. 

"Thought  I'd  look  at  a  phonograph,"  said  the 
older  man  in  a  rather  hesitating  voice. 

The  salesman  took  a  good  look  at  the  "prospect" 
and  decided  in  his  own  mind  that  what  the  custo- 
mer really  wanted  was  the  lowest  priced  Edison  in 
the  shop,   if  he  wanted   any. 

"I  doubt  if  we  have  anything  that  would  interest 
you,"  he  said,  hoping  to  discourage  his  prospect 
and  close  up  shop  and  go  home. 

"Yes,  I  saw  an  instrument  in  the  window  that 
looked  pretty  nice,"  he  replied.     "How  much  is  it?" 

That  "something"  proved  to  be  a  $75.00  Diamond 
Amberola. 

The  salesman  said  in  a  hopeless  sort  of  way, 
"Oh,  that's  our  best  machine;  it's  $75."  And  then, 
still  further  sizing  up  his  prospect  the  salesman 
added,  "You  know  our  terms  are  strictly  cash." 

"That's  all  right;  I'll  take  it,"  said  the  pur- 
chaser, and  reaching  into  his  hip  pocket,  withdrew  a 
great  roll  of  Christmas  money  and  pulled  out  a 
crisp  $100  bill,  that  made  the  salesman's  eyes  stick 
out  like  saucers.  Then  the  salesman  jotted  down 
the  address  and  promised  to  have  the  instrument 
delivered  that  day. 

When  the  purchaser  had  gone  the  salesman 
remarked  to  a  fellow  salesman,  "If  the  old  boy  had 
been  a  farmer  I  would  not  have  been  surprised, 
because  with  wheat  at  $1.00  or  more  a  bushel  every 
farmer  must  have  money  to  burn  out  here.  But 
that  chap  looked  like  a  run  down  clerk  on  a  small 
salary  and  where  he  got  that  wad  I  don't  know." 

From  any  point  of  view  he  was  a  poor  salesman. 
He  didn't  sell  the  Edison;  it  sold  itself;  the  window 
advertised  it!  All  of  which  leads  us  to  remark, 
what  is  the  use  of  throwing  out  advertising  lines, 
baiting  the  hook,  dressing  the  window  and  keeping 
the  store  open  and  warm  and  comfortable,  when 
you  have  a  salesman  that  is  not  a  salesman?  We 
need  experienced  salesmen — at  least  those  willing 
to  learn  and  eager  to  sell,  not  merely  to  wear  good 
clothes   and    stand    around. 


The  Ditzell  Music  Company,  Oklahoma  City, 
Okla.,  writes — "Our  advertising  is  having  its  effect. 
We  have  just  one  Edison  left  on  the  floor.  So  in  a 
day  or  two  we  will  have  our  first  stock  all  sold  out 
and  readv  for  another." 


WHEN  YOU  SELL,  GIVE  PREFER- 
ENCE TO  THE  HIGHER  PRICED 
EDISONS 

IT  is  a  fact  that  it  takes  little  if  any  more  effort 
to  sell  a  prospect  one  of  the  higher  priced 
Edisons  in  preference  to  the  lower  priced 
models.  Right  here  we  want  to  quote  one  suc- 
cessful dealer's  experience  along  these  lines.  The 
Quincy  Phonograph  Co.,  Quincy,  111.,  say:  "We 
know  from  experience  it  is  to  our  interest  to  sell 
the  best  instruments  possible.  We  have  found  that 
the  higher  priced  machine  we  can  land,  the  better 
satisfied  customer  we  have  thereafter." 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  JANUARY,  1916 


13 


The  Artist  Behind  the  Record 


Orpee  Langevin 

"Canadian  Baritone" 


Gladys  Rice 

Soprano 


Burton  Lenihan 

Tenor 


THREE  MORE  NEW  ARTISTS  ON  BLUE  AMBEROLS 

FOR  JANUARY 


Orphee  Langevin,  the  "Canadian  Baritone," 
is  a  former  pupil  of  Dubulle,  Emanuel  Lafarge  and 
Leon  Melchisedec,  three  of  the  most  eminent  instruc- 
tors of  the  Paris  Conservatoire.  Mr.  Langevin  is 
gifted  with  a  clear,  resonant  baritone  voice  of 
exceptional  quality  and  uses  it  with  intelligent 
feeling  and  a  thorough  mastery  of  vocal  technique. 
His  six  years'  continuous  work  abroad  found  much 
appreciation  throughout  France,  particularly  in 
Paris,  where  he  sang  in  "La  Viviandiere," 
"L'Attague  du  Moulin"  and  several  other  difficult 
roles.  In  a  number  of  concerts  his  performance  has 
aroused  unbounded  admiration.  He  has  been  well 
received  by  the  critical  music  public  of  New  York 
and  other  cities. 

In  the  January  list  his  magnificent  voice  is  heard 
to  fine  effect  in  "Recitatif  et  Arioso"  from  the 
opera  "Benvenuto."  As  this  recitation  is  unusually 
dramatic,  Langevin's  voice  is  called  upon  for  some 
wonderful  vocal  effects,  which  his  careful  training 
enables   him   easily   to   occomplish. 

Gladys  Rice  is  a  Philadelphian,  educated  at 
"Ivy  Hall,"  Bridgeton,  N.  J.,  from  which  institution 
she  recently  graduated.  She  early  became  a  pupil 
of  Karl  Breneman,  who  studied  in  Paris  under  the 
famous  Sibugla.  Miss  Rice  made  her  debut  in 
vaudeville  at  the  Palace  Theatre  in  New  York  City 
and  later  appeared  in  dramatic  and  musical  stock 
companies  under  the  direction  of  her  father,  the 
late  John  C.  Rice. 


Miss  Rice  is  heard,  with  Burton  Lenihan,  in  two 
of  the  January  list  of  Blue  Amberols — "Auf  Wie- 
dersehn— The  Blue  Paradise"  (Record  2775),  and 
"Chin-Chin— Hip-Hip  Hooray"   (Record  2788). 

Burton  Lenihan  is  an  American,  born  in  Sagi- 
naw, Michigan,  a  graduate  of  Oberlin  College, 
Oberlin,  Ohio.  His  musical  education  was  begun 
under  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Charles  A.  White,  of  Boston, 
well  known  in  musical  circles  there.  After  four 
years  study  in  Boston  he  came  to  New  York  and 
played  several  minor  parts  in  Broadway  produc- 
tions and  at  last  was  featured  with  Emma  Frentini 
in  "The  Fire-Fly,"  where  he  sang  the  leading  tenor 
role. 

His  voice  is  a  very  rich  tenor,  clear,  sweet  and 
powerful.  In  singing  "Auf  Wiedersehn — The  Blue 
Paradise,"  "Chin-Chin — Hip-Hip  Hooray" — these 
qualities  are  very  much  in  evidence. 


Reed  Miller,  so  well  known  to  Edison  artists 
as  possessing  an  unusually  clear  voice,  splendidly 
adapted  for  recording,  was  born  in  Anderson,  S.  C. 
He  is  one  of  the  leading  tenors  in  America.  He 
sings  "Love's  Garden  of  Roses"  (Record  2778)  in 
such  a  smooth,  flowing,  sympathetic  manner  as  to 
win  instant  attention  and  to  evoke  applause  when 
he  has  finished. 

Then  there's  his  "Soft  Southern  Breeze,"  equally 
adapted  to  his  fine  melodious  voice;  it's  wonderfully 
beautiful  and  grows  more  beautiful  as  one  hears  it 
again  and  again. 


14 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  JANUARY,  1916 


Talking  Points  for  January  Blue  Amberols 


SELLING  records  is  an  art  in  itself;  one  that  will  well  repay  preparation  and  study. 
Every  Blue  Amberol  salesman  should  be  familiar  with  the  new  list  of  records  before  he 
attempts  to  sell  them.     He  should  play  each  one  over  several  times  and  note  for  him- 
self its  good  talking  points,  making  memoranda  of  qualities  that  seem  to  him  striking. 


CONCERT  SELECTIONS 

28222  Recitatif  et  Arioso  "De  l'art  splendeur  immor- 

telle" — Benvenu  to  Orphee  Langevin 

A  beautiful  recitation  and  aria  from  the  opera 
"Benvenuto."  Sung  by  Orphee  Langevin,  a  new 
Edison  artist  with  a  rich  baritone  voice.  The 
recitation  is  an  extraordinarily  dramatic  declama- 
tion; the  aria  a  remarkably  beautiful  theme.  A 
splendid  record. 

28223  Gloria— Twelfth  Mass  Gregorian  Choir 

Most  every  one  of  any  musical  taste  has  heard, 
or  heard  of,  Mozart's  Twelfth  Mass.  It  is  one  of 
the  most  magnificently  concerted  vocal  pieces  ever 
composed.  As  here  rendered  it  is  one  of  the  most 
impressive  and  beautiful  selections  ever  recorded 
(and  the  recording  in  this  instance  is  well  nigh 
perfect). 

REGULAR  SELECTIONS 

2775  Auf   Wiedersehn— The   Blue  Paradise 

Burton  Lenihan,  Gladys  Rice  and  Chorus 
Here  is  one  of  the  big  song  hits  from  "The  Blue 
Paradise" — one  of  this  season's  most  successful 
comic  operas.  Burton  Lenihan  and  Gladys  Rice, 
two  new  Edison  artists,  certainly  make  a  lively 
record  of  it,  their  fine  voices  harmonizing  well 
with  the  chorus. 

2776  When   Old   Bill   Bailey   Plays   the  Ukalele 

Billy  Murray  and  Chorus 
An  amusing  ragtime  song  that  is  quite  popular 
with  comic  opera  goers.  Billy  Murray  as  "Old 
Bill  Bailey"  gets  off  the  laughable  words  in  a  most 
rollicking  manner.  The  Hawaiian  music  adds  a 
novel  and  unusual   charm. 

2777  Daybreak  at  Calamity  Farm 

Gilbert  Girard  and  Company 
Here's   a    record    that    will    captivate    your    rural, 
patrons.      Every  barn-yard  noise  is  faithfully  repro- 
duced,   and    an    amusing    rube    dialogue    completes 
the  early  morning's  experience  on  the  farm. 

2778  Love's  Garden  of  Roses  Reed  Miller 

Reed  Miller's  voice  gives  this  fine  ballad  a 
melody  and  a  charm  that  puts  it  far  above  the 
average  selection.  Here  is  the  record  to  sell  to 
those  who  like  a  song  full  of  pathos  and  sentiment. 

2779  Dancing  With  Ma  Honey  Charles  Daab 

Here  is  a  rattling  good,  lively  xylophone  selec- 
tion by  the  prince  of  xylophone  players,  Charles 
Daab.  The  recording  is  clear  as  a  bell,  and  the 
accuracy  both  as  to  time  and  note  make  a  record 
that   is  especially  pleasing. 

2780  With  Sword  and  Lance  March 

New  York  Military  Band 

Military   marches   are   all   the   go    now.      Here    is 

one   of  the  best,   and  you  can't  mistake   its   martial 

air  and  measure  step.      Seems  like  "Going  to  War" 

just    to    play    it. 

2781  My  Fox  Trot  Wedding  Day  "Hip-Hip  Hooray"  — 

New  York  Hippodrome  Irving  Kaufman 

A  clever  ragtime-song  that  was  one  of  the  big 
hits  of  "Hip-Hip  Hooray"  at  the  New  York  Hippo- 
drome. The  main  interest  lies  in  the  words  that 
are  sung  by  Irving  Kaufman  to  an  original  tune. 

2782  Omena — Intermezzo  Fred  Van  Eps 

A  spirited  banjo  selection,  remarkably  catchy 
and  full  of  life.  Fred  Van  Eps  is  reputed  to  have 
the  cleanest  execution  and  most  musical  tone  of 
any    banjoist. 

2783  Kaiser  Friedrich  March     New  York  Military  Band 

Here  is  a  fine  sturdy  march  played  by  one  of  the 
best  bands  in  the  country.  As  a  record  it  is  clear, 
sharp,  decisive,  just  as  a  military  march  should  be. 

2784  Good-Bye,  Virginia 

George  Wilton  Ballard  and  Chorus 
A    dainty    song-ballad    of    exceptional    charm    both 
in   the  melody  and   the  lyric.      Snatches   of  familiar 
Southern  melodies  are  heard  in  its  refrain. 


2785  Ballymooney  and  Biddy  McGee 

Billy  Murray  and  Chorus 

This  Irish  comic  song  was  introduced  in  Mont- 
gomery and  Stone's  comic  opera  "Chin  Chin"  dur- 
ing its  second  year  at  the  Globe  Theatre,  New 
York.  Billy  Murray  has  caught  the  Irish  accent 
and  gives  a  lively  rendition. 

2786  Blue-White  March         New  York  Military  Band 

Another  very  popular  march,  particularly  notable 
for  its  fine  swing  and  its  several  original  melodies. 
Notice  in  one  part  the  bugle  and  drum  effects. 

2787  My  Wild  Irish  Rose  Walter  Van  Brunt 

One  of  the  most  perfectly  recorded  and  repro- 
duced records  in  the  whole  January  list;  one  of 
Walter  Van  Brunt's  biggest  song  successes.  His 
voice  is  particularly  adapted  to  just  such  a  lyric 
song. 

2788  Chin-Chin— "Hip-Hip  Hooray"— New  York  Hip- 

podrome 

Burton  Lenihan,  Gladys  Rice  and  Chorus 

A  dainty   duet  that   was   one   of  the   features   of 

"Hip-Hip   Hooray"   at  the   New   York   Hippodrome. 

The    refrain    introduces    several    unique    effects    of 

chorus  and  singing  that  are  unusually  beautiful. 

2789  Lauterbach  and   Hi-le  Hi-lo    (With   Yodels) 

George  P.  Watson 
One  has  only  to  hear  this  record  to  realize  that 
George  P.  Watson  is  a  most  accomplished  adept 
at  yodle  songs.  Hi-le  Hi-lo  has  become  immortal 
like  "Where,  Oh  Where,  Has  My  Little  Dog 
Gone." 

2790  Amina — Egyptian  Serenade  Sodero's  Band 

A  "characteristic"  selection,  with  an  unusual  and 
curious  melody  that  is  extraordinarily  catchy. 

2891     Cohen  Owes  Me  Ninety-Seven  Dollars 

Maurice  Burkhart 

A  comic  Hebrew  character-song  that  is  extremely 
amusing — one  of  the  best  character-songs  Irving 
Berlin  ever  wrote. 

2792  In  the  Land  of  Lorraine— "Two  is  Company" 

Frederick  Wheeler 

This  is  the  big  baritone  song  hit  from  the  musical 
play  "Two  Is  Company."  Frederick  Wheeler's 
beautiful  voice  is  displayed  to  the  best  possible 
advantage  as  he  sings  this  appealing  melody. 

2793  Battle  of  the  Nations— Descriptive 

New  York  Military  Band 

A  timely  composition  that  everyone  will  find 
enjoyable.  Bugle  calls  and  drums  are  first  heard; 
then  follow  snatches  of  the  National  Anthems.  A 
stirring  melody. 

2794  On   the   Bark  of  an   Old   Cherry  Tree 

George  Wilton  Ballard  and  Chorus 

A  sentimental  ballad  of  unusual  interest  and 
charm.  The  lyric  is  written  around  a  pretty  senti- 
ment, and  the  melody  is  exceptionally  catchy. 

2795  Song  of  Hybrias  and  Cretian  T.  Foster  Why 

A  vigorous  bass  melody  that  carries  you  away 
with  its  sturdy  swing.  T.  Foster  Why  has  an  ideal 
voice  for  this  style  of  song.  The  purity  of  his  low 
notes  is  a  feature  of  the  record. 

2796  Soft  Southern  Breeze  Reed  Miller 

Reed  Miller  has  seldom  given  a  finer  rendition 
than  this.  It  is  a  song  of  unusual  artistic  merit, 
with  a  refrain  whose  melody  is  wonderfully  beau- 
tiful. 

2797  Molly  Dear,  It's  You  I'm  After 

Walter  Van  Brunt  and  Chorus 

A  typical  Irish  sentimental  ballad.  The.  melody 
has  a  lilting  rhythm.  The  chorus  assisting  Mr. 
Van  Brunt  hum  softly  as  he  gives  the  first  refrain; 
in  the  second  they  sing  with  him.  Helen  Clark- 
sings  a  portion  of  the  song  as  a  solo. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  JANUARY,  1916 


IS 


As  Our  Legal  Department  Sees  It 


FEDERAL  JUDGE  GEIGER  UPHOLDS 
PATENTEE'S  RIGHT  TO 
MAINTAIN  PRICES 

IN  OUR  September  issue  we  printed  an  article 
entitled  "The  Right  of  a  Manufacturer  to  Control 
the  Retail  Price  at  Which  His  Product  Shall  be 
Sold,"  this  being  a  synopsis  of  an  address  which  was 
given  by  Mr.  Holden,  our  general  counsel,  at  the  recent 
Edison  Dealers'  Convention  at  Orange.  Mr.  Holden 
pointed  out  that  the  decision  in  the  Sanatogen  Case, 
Bauer  vs.  O'Donnell,  229  U.  S.  1,  has  been  so  greatly 
misrepresented  in  newspaper  articles  that  many  persons 
had  been  led  to  believe  that  under  this  decision  a  patent 
owner  could  not  fix  the  price  at  which  the  patented  arti- 
cle should  be  sold;  but  that  the  Court  in  reality  merely 
held  that  where  the  patented  articles  were  marketed 
with  no  agreement  from  the  purchaser  in  respect  to  the 
resale  price,  the  purchaser  would  not  be  bound  simply 
because  there  was  a  label  upon  the  articles  which  pro- 
vided that  they  should  not  be  sold  for  less  than  a  given 
price,  and  he  also  pointed  out  that  the  most  recent 
decision  at  that  time,  to  wit,  United  States  vs.  Keystone 
Watch  Case  Co.,  218  Fed.,  502,  held  that  the  owner  of  a 
patent  did  have  the  right  to  make  an  agreement  with  his 
jobbers  whereby  a  minimum  price  was  fixed  at  which  the 
jobbers  might  sell. 

The  soundness  of  our  position  is  made  evident  by  a 
decision  which  has  just  been  rendered  by  Judge  Geiger 
in  the  United  States  District  Court  for  the  Northern 
District  of  Illinois,  Eastern  Division.  This  is  a  suit 
brought  by  the  American  Graphophone  Co.  and  Colum- 
bia Graphophone  Co.  against  the  Boston  Store  of 
Chicago.  In  this  case  the  defendant  had  signed  the 
regular  Columbia  dealer's  license  agreement  and  had 
purchased  goods  thereunder  from  the  Columbia  Grapho- 
phone Co.  and  then  disposed  of  the  same  at  cut  prices. 
A  suit  was  thereupon  brought  by  the  Columbia  Co.  and 
a  motion  made  for  an  injunction  to  prohibit  sales  at  cut 
prices.  The  defendant  endeavored  to  justify  its  con- 
duct under  the  decision  in  the  Sanatogen  Case,  but  the 
Court,  after  carefully  considering  all  the  decisions  upon 
this  subject,  came  to  the  conclusion  that  the  contract 
between  the  defendant  and  plaintiff  was  valid  and 
enforcible,  the  Court  using  the  following  language: 

"To  state  it  again,  in  different  form:  If  the  patentee 
may  say  to  the  world,  'I  will  confer  upon  any  one,  by 
license,  the  right  to  manufacture  and  sell  my  patented 
article,  provided  he  will  observe  a  price,  fixed  by  me,  at 
which  the  article  is  sold  to  another,'  he  can  say,  T  will 
manufacture  the  patented  articles  myself  and  I  will  sell 
to  no  one  except  on  condition  that  he  observe  a  resale 
price  to  be  fixed  by  me.'  And,  he  can  do  so,  for  the 
reason  that  the  article,  because  of  its  embodiment  of 


the  invention,  has  been  made  a  subject  of  lawfully  re- 
strictive price  bargaining;  and  the  Wall  Paper  and  Dr. 
Miles  Medical  cases,  212  U.  S.  233,  220  U.  S.  393,  are 
most  persuasive  in  supporting  such  view.  The  lan- 
guage of  the  Supreme  Court  in  the  Miles  case  (see 
p.  401)  could  give  no  clearer  recognition  to  the  full  right 
of  the  patentee  to  bargain  for  price  restriction.  The 
statement  is  almost  made  in  plain  words  that  if  the  pro- 
prietary medicine  were  a  patented  article,  the  contract 
there  in  question  would,  as  between  the  parties,  receive 
the  protection  of  the  patent  laws  as  construed  in  the 
Bement  case. 

"In  view  of  the  language  in  Bauer  vs.  O'Donnell, 
which  discloses  so  clear  a  purpose  to  limit  it  to  the 
precise  facts,  it  is  my  judgment  that  it  does  not  and 
was  not  intended  to  overrule  the  other  cases,  which  seem 
so  firmly  to  have  established  the  general  proposition 
upon  which  the  sufficiency  of  the  complaint  in  the  pres- 
ent case  depends.  In  other  words,  the  complaint  shows 
a  contract  which,  against  the  defendant,  as  a  purchaser 
from  the  patentee,  is  valid  and  enforcible. 

"The  conclusions  are: 

"1.  That,  Dick  vs.  Henry  and  Bement  vs.  Harrow  Co., 
Victor  vs.  The  Fair,  and  the  other  cases  supra,  so  far  as 
they  permit  a  patentee,  while  exercising  any  of  his  three 
coordinate  monopoly  rights,  by  proper  amendment  to 
reserve  such  portion  thereof  as  he  sees  fit,  have  not  been 
overruled  by  Bauer  vs.  O'Donnell;  but  that,  after  he  has 
once  allowed  the  patented  article  to  pass  out  of  the 
monopoly  without  committing,  by  proper  agreement, 
the  one  to  whom  the  article  comes  to  the  observance  of 
an  obligation  on  his  part,  he  cannot  then  recall  it  or 
claim  that,  by  a  notice,  he  burdened  the  article  with 
such  reservation. 

"2.  That  an  agent, or  vendee  of  a  patentee  may,  by 
direct  covenant  or  agreement,  be  bound  to  the  observ- 
ance of  price  restriction,  imposed  as  a  condition  upon 
which  exclusive  right  of  sale  by  the  patentee  is  being 
exercised.  Whether  a  violation  of  such  agreement  be 
dealt  with  as  for  infringement  or  breach  of  a  contract 
enforcible  in  equity,  is  immaterial  as  between  the 
patentee  and  his  contractee,  save  only  as  it  may  affect 
the  jurisdiction  to  be  invoked. 

"3.  That  the  complainant  states  a  good  cause  of 
action  against  the  defendant.  If  the  contract  is  to  be 
taken  as  the  measure  of  the  defendant's  right,  it  seems 
to  me  that  a  failure  to  observe  its  explicit  stipulation 
constitutes  infringement,  certainly  the  breach  of  the 
agreement,  if  valid,  should  entitle  plaintiffs  to  relief  in 
equity." 

The  opinion  of  the  Court  is  unusually  lucid  and  indi- 
cates a  very  careful  study  of  the  entire  situation,  includ- 
ing all  of  the  decisions  of  the  Supreme  Court  which  have 
any  bearing  upon  this  question.  The  decision  is  cer- 
tainly in  accordance  with  the  rulings  of  the  Supreme 
Court  on  this  subject  and  is  logical  and  convincing.  W  e 
feel,  therefore,  that  in  case  of  an  appeal  Judge  Geiger 
should  be  sustained. 


Jobbers  of  Edison  Amberola  Phonographs 
and  Blue  Amberol  Records 


ALABAMA 

Birmingham — Talking  Machine  Co. 
Mobile— W.  H.  Reynalds. 


CALIFORNIA 

Los  Angeles — Southern  California  Music  Co. 
San  Francisco — Pacific  Phonograph  Co. 

COLORADO 

Denver — Denver  Dry  Goods  Co. 
Hext  Music  Co. 


CONNECTICUT 
New  Haven — Pardee-Ellenberger  Co. 

GEORGIA 

Atlanta — Atlanta  Phonograph  Co. 

W.  F.  L.  Rosenblatt 
Waycross — Youmans  Jewelry  Co. 

ILLINOIS 

Chicago — Babson  Bros. 

James  I.  Lyons. 

The  Phonograph  Co. 
Peoria — Peoria  Phonograph  Co. 
Quincy — Quincy  Phonograph  Co. 

INDIANA 
Indianapolis — Kipp-Link  Phonograph  Co. 

IOWA 

Des  Moines — Harger  &  Blish. 
Sioux  City — Harger  &  Blish. 

LOUISIANA 
New  Orleans — Diamond  Music  Co.,  Inc. 

MAINE 
Bangor — Chandler  &  Co. 

MARYLAND 
Baltimore — E.  F.  Droop  &  Sons  Co. 


Paterson- 


NEW  JERSEY 
-James  K.  O'Dea. 

NEW  YORK 


Albany — American  Phonograph  Co. 

Finch  &  Hahn. 
Buffalo — W.  D.  Andrews. 

Neal,  Clark  &  Neal  Co. 
Elmira — Elmira  Arms   Co. 
New  York  City — I.  Davega,  Jr.,  Inc. 

J.  F.  Blackman  &  Son. 
S.  B.  Davega  Co. 
The  Phonograph  Corporation  of 
Manhattan. 
Rochester — Talking  Machine  Co. 
Syracuse — Frank  E.  Bolway  &  Son. 

W.  D.  Andrews  Co. 
Utica — Arthur  F.  Ferriss. 
William  Harrison. 

OHIO 

Cincinnati — The  Phonograph  Co. 
Cleveland — The  Phonograph  Co. 

OREGON 

Portland — Pacific  Phonograph  Co. 

PENNSYLVANIA 

Philadelphia — Girard  Phonograph  Co. 
Pittsburgh — Buehn  Phonograph  Co. 
Scranton — Ackerman  &  Co. 
Williamsport — W.  A.  Myers. 

RHODE  ISLAND 
Providence — J.  A.  Foster  Co. 

TEXAS 

Dallas — Texas-Oklahoma  Phonograph  Co. 
El  Paso — El  Paso  Phonograph  Co.,  Inc. 

UTAH 

Ogden — Proudfit  Sporting  Goods  Co. 
Salt  Lake  City — Consolidated  Music  Co. 


MASSACHUSETTS 

Boston — Iver-Johnson  Sporting  Goods  Co. 

Pardee-Ellenberger  Co. 
Lowell — Thomas  Wardell. 


MICHIGAN 
Detroit — Phonograph  Co.  of  Detroit. 

MINNESOTA 

Minneapolis — Laurence  H.  Lucker. 
St.  Paul— W.  J.  Dyer  &  Bro. 

MISSOURI 

Kansas  City — Phonograph  Co.  of  Kansas  City. 

Schmelzer  Arms  Co. 
St.  Louis — Silverstone  Music  Co. 

MONTANA 
Helena — Montana  Phonograph  Co. 


NEBRASKA 


Omaha — Shultz  Bi 


VERMONT 
Burlington — American  Phonograph  Co. 

VIRGINIA 

Richmond — C.  B.  Haynes  &  Co. 

WASHINGTON 

Seattle — Pacific  Phonograph  Co.,  N.  W. 
Spokane — Pacific  Phonograph  Co.,  N.  W. 

WISCONSIN 
Milwaukee — The  Phonograph  Co.,  of  Milwaukee. 

CANADA 

Calgary— R.  S.  Williams  &  Sons  Co.,  Ltd. 
Montreal — R.  S.  Williams  &  Sons  Co.,  Ltd. 
St.  John— W.  H.  Thorne  &  Co.,  Ltd. 
Toronto — R.  S.  Williams  &  Sons  Co.,  Ltd. 
Vancouver — Kent  Piano  Co.,  Ltd. 
Winnipeg — Babson  Bros. 

R.  S.  Williams  &  Sons  Co.,  Ltd. 


!  ^  EDISON ! 
!  PHONOGRAPH! 
1  MONTHLY  | 

VOL.  XIV                     FEBRUARY,  1916                           NO.  2         ! 

1] 

|| 

1 

at1- 

•  _^~- ,              V"-^^-- 

>  flu 

:... 

MR.  EDISON  AT  HIS  DESK— See  page  9 

THE    EDISON 
PHONOGRAPH      MONTH  LY 

Published  in  the  interest  of 

EDISON  AMBEROLA  PHONOGRAPHS  AND  BLUE  AMBEROL  RECORDS 

By  THOMAS  A.  EDISON,  Inc. 

ORANGE,  N.  J.,  U.  S.  A. 

THOMAS  A.  EDISON,  LTD.,   164  WARDOUR  ST.,  LONDON,  W.  ENGLAND 

THOMAS  A.  EDISON,  LTD.,  364-372  KENT  STREET,  SYDNEY,  N.  S.  W. 

COMPANIA  EDISON  HISPANO-AMERICANA,  FLORIDA  635,  BUENOS  AIRES 

EDISON  GESELLSCHAFT,  M.  B.  H.  3  YORKSTRASSE,  BERLIN 

COMPAGNIE  FRANCAISE  THOMAS  A.  EDISON,  59  RUE  DES  PETITES-ECURIES,  PARIS 

Volume  XIV  FEBRUARY,   1916  Number  2 

When  a  Competitor  Says  it,  it's  Probably  Untrue 

What  an  interesting  thing  a  competitor  sometimes  is.  What  a  variety  of  things  he  can 
put  into  the  mouths  of  his  representatives  to  pass  on  to  dealers  who  do  not  carry  his  line.  The 
ingenuity  he  shows  in  "framing"  is  worthy  of  a  better  cause.  He  can  "knock"  with  all  the 
tools  that  make  noises.  The  mean  things  he  can  write  and  say  are  a  caution.  And  he  is  never 
exempt  from  the  habit,  no  matter  how  great  a  measure  of  prosperity  he  enjoys.  He  just  simply 
can't  help  hating  to  see  the  other  fellow  get  business. 

The  gentleman  in  the  back  row  wants  to  say  something.  Certainly  you  may  talk.  You 
don't  think  their  knocking  is  due  to  meanness,  eh,  but  because  they  recognize  the  inferiority  of 
their  product,  and  are  fearful  for  its  ultimate  fate. 

Perhaps  that  is  it.  We  really  don't  know.  After  all  it  doesn't  matter  much.  Then,  too, 
all  of  this  is  beside  the  question.  We  wanted  particularly  to  refer  to  one  of  the  newest  things 
being  said  about  the  Edison  Cylinder  product.  Mr.  Competitor  is  now  having  his  people  say 
that  we  are  going  to  give  up  the  Cylinder  line. 

As  a  rule  it  isn't  worth  while  paying  attention  to  statements  of  this  kind,  particularly 
when  the}-  are  put  out  with  questionable  motives,  but  one  of  these  statements  made  recently 
"smoked"  us  out  and  caused  the  issuance  of  the  following  trade  letter,  signed  by  Mr.  Edison. 
Here  is  the  letter: 

To   all   Iulison   Cylinder  Dealers: 

I'.y  this  time  you  know  that  the  Phonograph  Monthly  hereafter  is  to  be  devoted  exclusively  to  the  cylinder 
lint — the   Diamond    Amberola   and   the   Blue   Amberol   records. 

We  have  <pent  a  large  sum  of  money  since  the  fire  in  perfecting  the  Diamond  Amberola  instruments.  Still  more 
recently   we  have  taken  steps  further  to  improve  the  Blue  Amberol  record. 

'I'lie  foregoing  seems  to  me  a  complete  answer  to  the  malicious  rumors  that  it  is  our  intention  to  abandon  the 
cylinder  product.  If  we  had  had  any  intention  of  doing  so  we  should  certainly  have  done  it  after  the  fire  last 
December,   instead   of   spending   enormous   sums   of   money  to   resume   its   manufacture. 

Those  among  our  dealers  who  are  pushing  the  Diamond  Amberola  as  it  deserves  to  be  pushed  will  find  in  their 
sales  a  complete   refutation   of  the  baseless  rumor  that  we  are  planning  to  discontinue  its  manufacture. 

T  wish  to  call  the  attention  of  every  dealer  to  the  fact  that  our  cylinder  sales  in  November,  1915,  were  29% 
greater  than  our  cylinder  sales  in  November,  1914.  Does  it  seem  probable  that  in  the  face  of  these  conditions  we 
would  now  contemplate  quitting,  when  last  year,  after  the  fire,  we  spent  large  sums  of  money  to  restore  our  cylinder 
phonograph    and    cylinder    record    manufacturing    facilities? 

I  wish  every  cylinder  Dealer  a  happy  and  prosperous  New  Year  and  urge  upon  him  renewed  confidence  and 
renewed    effort. 


December  29,  1915. 


Yours  truly, 

THOMAS  A.  EDISON. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  FEBRUARY,  1916 


From  Factory  to  Jobber  and  Dealer 


A  WORD  TO  COMBINATION 
DEALERS 

HOW  many  dealers  who  handle  the  Edison 
Diamond  Amberola  and  also  the  Edison 
Diamond  Disc  share  the  feeling  expressed  by 
the  combination  dealer  who  said: 

"Naturally  I  like  to  sell  a  Diamond  Disc  better 
than  a  Diamond  Amberola,  because  the  sale  runs 
into  more  money  and  I  make  a  larger  profit  than  I 
would  make  on  the  sale  of  several  Amberolas; 
consequently,  I  am  not  pushing  the  Amberola  line." 

Is  this  the  right  attitude  to  take?  We  freely  con- 
cede that  an  Edison  Diamond  Disc  Phonograph  can 
be  sold  to  anyone  if  the  right  salesman  is  on  the 
job;  but  thousands  of  cheap  "talking  machines"  are 
being  sold  because  the  right  salesman  is  not  on  the 
job  or  doesn't  get  hold  of  the  customer  before 
he  buys. 

Now  there  is  no  comparison  as  to  musical  quality 
between  the  Diamond  Amberola  and  ordinary 
talking  machines.  The  Diamond  Amberola  is 
incomparably  superior.  If  you  have  made  the  cur- 
tain test  suggested  in  the  December  number  of  the 
Phonograph  Monthly  you  know  this  is  true,  and 
the  people  who  heard  the  curtain  test  know  it 
is  true. 

There  is  a  field  for  a  moderate-priced  sound- 
reproducing  instrument.  It  is  impossible  for  you 
to  get  in  personal  contact  with  every  person  in  your 
locality  who  is  going  to  buy  some  kind  of  sound- 
reproducing  instrument  during  the  present  year. 
There  are  a  lot  of  people  who  are  planning  to  buy 
talking  machines  without  a  great  deal  of  investi- 
gation. Many  of  them  will  have  their  minds  made 
up  to  pay  less  than  $100.  If  you  actually  get  in 
personal  contact  with  these  people  you  can  demon- 
strate the  Diamond  Disc  Phonograph  and  get  them 
to  make  a  larger  expenditure  than  they  had  plan- 
ned, but,  if  left  to  their  own  devices,  some  will  go 
where  a  low  price  is  advertised.  Therefore  it  be- 
hooves the  combination  dealer  to  keep  the  Diamond 
Amberola  and  its  moderate  price  before  the  public 
by  advertising  and  circularizing. 

Don't  run  your  Diamond  Amberola  ads  as  a  post- 
script to  your  Diamond  Disc  ads.  Run  them  sep- 
arately; always  advertise  the  prices;  emphasize  that 
the  Diamond  Amberola  by  actual  curtain  test  is  a 
better  musical  instrument  than  any  talking  machine 
at  double  the  price.  Do  some  good  circularizing 
along  similar  lines.  Try  this  and  see  if  it  doesn't 
work  out. 

If  you  think  that  there  is  no  demand  for  Amberola 
phonographs  in  your  locality,  just  put  one  of  the  $75 
Diamond  Amberolas  in  some  store  that  is  not  hand- 
ling phonographs  and  have  it  played  for  two  or 
three  days.  Have  someone  present  to  see  what  the 
comments  are  and  see  how  many  names  he  can 
obtain  of  persons  who  manifest  an  interest  that 
could  be  turned  into  an  intention  to  buy. 

This  experiment  can  be  worked  better  in  some 
other  store  than  your  own,  because  the  novelty  of 


having  a  phonograph  in  a  store  where  none  has  ever 
been  before  will  cause  visitors  to  be  more  free  in 
their  comment  than  would  be  the  case  if  they  were 
in  a  store  where  phonographs  are  sold. 


ASSISTANT  EDITORS  A  REAL  NEED 

We  want  some  assistant  editors.  Now  that  the 
Phonograph  Monthly  is  printed  solely  in  the 
interest  of  the  Amberola  line,  we  do  not  have  the 
same  amount  of  material  to  draw  upon  as  when  it 
covered  the  Diamond  Disc  line  as  well.  For  the 
March  issue  of  the  Phonograph  Monthly  we  want 
upwards  of  twelve  interesting  letters  about  the 
Amberola  line,  that  will  be  helpful  to  other  dealers. 
If  you  cannot  write  one  of  these  letters,  write  us 
one  telling  us  what  you  think  we  ought  to  do  to 
make  the  Phonograph  Monthly  more  interesting 
to  you  and  other  dealers.  Or  it  might  do  us  some 
good  if  you  now  tell  us  some  of  our  shortcomings. 
Possibly  you  have  nursed  a  grouch  for  some  time; 
if  so,  get  it  off  your  chest  right  now.  If  some  one 
else  is  responsible  for  the  trouble  we  will  see  that 
he  gets  your  letter.  Come  now,  be  a  good  fellow. 
Be  an  assistant  editor  of  this  publication. 


APPEARANCES  COUNT 

How  much  thought  have  you  given  to  the  real 
beauty  of  Amberola  cabinets?  For  neatness  and 
design,  proportion  and  finish  we  think  they  far 
surpass  the  cabinets  of  all  talking  machines.  The 
idea  back  of  these  designs  is  to  make  them  so 
universally  tasteful  that  they  will  please  everyone 
and  fit  in  with  the  furnishings  of  most  any  room, 
as  nearly  as  that  is  possible.  While  no  one  would 
buy  an  instrument  solely  for  its  cabinet,  at  the 
same  time  an  attractive  housing  of  the  mechanism 
goes  a  long  way  toward  making  it  easier  to  close 
a  sale. 


MR.  RAPKE  TO  CONTINUE  TRAY 
LABELS 

Some  months  ago  Victor  H.  Rapke,  of  New  York 
City,  who  for  several  years  has  been  furnishing 
tray  labels  for  Edison  Blue  Amberol  Records, 
announced  his  intention  of  discontinuing  the  service. 
Feeling  that  there  was  a  real  need  for  these  labels 
we  sent  out  a  circular  to  Amberola  dealers  telling 
them  of  Mr.  Rapke's  decision,  and  asking  the 
opinion  of  dealers  as  to  the  advisability  of  our 
taking  it  up.  A  very  large  number  of  cards  were 
received,  most  of  which  urged  the  continuance  of 
the  service.  While  these  replies  were  coming  in 
Mr.  Rapke  reconsidered  his  decision,  and  announced 
that  he  would  continue  the  label  service  as  before. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  FEBRUARY,  1916 


From  Factory  to  Jobber  and  Dealer — Continued 


ARE  THESE  RECORDS  IN  YOUR 
STOCK? 

As  announced  in  our  January  issue,  we  are  giving 
below  another  list  of  one  hundred  interesting,  popu- 
lar and  varied  selections  on  Amberol  records. 
While  these  are  selected  for  the  special  guidance  of 
dealers  who  have  recently  taken  on  the  Amberola 
line,  they  are  records  that  should  be  in  the  stock  of 
every  dealer. 

Of  course,  the  list  we  show  here  is  onlv  a  small 
part  of  what  dealers  should  carry.  They  are  rep- 
resentative and  an  excellent  foundation  for  a  popu- 
lar and  quick-selling  stock. 

DOMESTIC 

1509  1817  2006  2327  2584 

1533  1828  2046  2342  2602 

1545  1829  2048  2349  2628 

1561  1845  2106  2361  2630 

1584  1876  2108  2397  2631 

1601  1881  2160  2399  2635 

1614  1886  2169  2430  2652 

1633  1900  2185  2440  2655 

1654  1908  2195  2467  2667 

1716  1923  2236  2478  2670 

1745  1924  2239  2486  2674 

1758  1933  2279  2512  2677 

1759  1940  2280  2529  2701 
1769  1964  2296  2533  2710 
1779  1986  2309  2545  2732 
1801  2000  2326  2563  2747 

BRITISH 

23022  23079     23096     23136    23175 

23023  23087     23127     23139    23382 

CONCERT  AND  GRAND  OPERA 

28106  28151  28158  28193  28212 

28142  28157  28178  28203  28216 


IS  YOUR  JOBBER  SERVICE  O.  K.? 

A  surprising  number  of  Amberola  dealers  filled 
in  and  sent  us  the  blank  that  appeared  in  the 
December  issue  of  the  Phonograph  Monthly.  The 
information  that  they  gave  us  on  these  blanks  is 
exceedingly  interesting  and  useful,  and  we  are 
planning  to  do  some  work  in  connection  with  many 
of  the  dealers  that  will  work  out  to  our  mutual 
advantage.  One  of  the  regrettable  features  of  this 
information,  however,  was  several  statements  that 
jobbers  could  not  be  induced  to  fill  their  orders  for 
phonographs  and  records.  This  is  a  very  serious 
complaint.  It  is  a  complaint  for  which  there  ought 
to  be  little  excuse,  provided,  of  course,  that  the 
dealer's  credit  is  in  proper  shape.  It  isn't  always 
possible  for  a  jobber  to  fill  every  order  complete, 
as  there  are  times,  particularly  in  the  fall  of  the 
year,  when  it  is  difficult  for  us  to  keep  pace  with 
jobbers'  orders.  But  to  have  dealers  write  about 
poor  service  as  if  it  were  a  normal  condition  is 
a   very  different  matter.     We   are  going  to  follow 


up  all  such  complaints,  and  we  will  appreciate  it 
if  dealers  generally  will  tell  us  about  the  failure 
of  jobbers  to  fill  orders,  giving  us  details  as  to  time, 
quantities  ordered,  etc.,  etc.  If  the  jobbers  can 
show  that  we  are  to  blame  here,  then  those  of  us 
who  are  responsible  for  sales  and  advertising  will 
make  the  factory  end  unhappy  until  the  trouble  is 
remedied. 


FRAMES  FOR  WINDOW  DISPLAYS 

Hereafter  every  window  hanger  to  be  sent  out 
by  our  Advertising  Department  will  be  either 
11x14,  14x22,  or  13x36  inches  in  size.  The  Blue 
Amberola  Record  Hanger  is  already  being  printed 
on  the  13x36  size.  In  order  to  enable  dealers  to 
display  these  hangers  to  the  best  advantage  we  have 
purchased  a  large  quantity  of  three  different  sized 
frames,  made  of  imitation  mahogany,  with  a  remov- 
able back  for  easily  changing  the  hangers,  and  are 
placing  these  at  the  command  of  the  trade,  at  $1.14 
for  the  set  of  three.  The  frames  are  exceedingly 
attractive,  and  very  low  in  cost  considering  their 
quality.  They  do  not  contain  glass,  because  glass 
is  too  easily  broken  in  transit.  Then,  too,  it  can 
be  readily  purchased  in  each  dealer's  town.  We 
think  that  every  enterprising  Amberola  dealer 
ought  to  have  a  set  of  these  frames.  Orders  must 
be  placed  with  jobbers.  Write  your  jobber  about 
them. 


THE  AGGRESSIVE  DO  NOT 
COMPLAIN 

Once  in  a  while  an  Amberola  dealer  writes  in, 
saying  "I  can't  sell  Edison  Phonographs  because  of 
the  competition  of  the  mail  order  houses."  This  is 
invariably  the  complaint  of  the  dealer  who  is  not 
alive  to  his  opportunities.  A  dealer  who  is  really 
on  the  job  welcomes  this  kind  of  competition,  for 
it  makes  the  line  better  known  to  the  people  in  his 
territory,  and  he  has  but  to  go  after  the  prospects 
in  his  field  with  the  right  sort  of  sales  talk  in 
order  to  make  sales.     Most  dealers  appreciate  that. 


THE  HAWAIIAN  GUITAR 

THE  Hawaiian  Guitar  is  one  of  the  most 
characteristic  of  all  Hawaiian  instruments, 
and  is  a  great  favorite  with  this  music-loving 
people.  In  appearance  this  guitar  does  not  greatly 
differ  from  the  familiar  Spanish  type.  It  is  made 
of  Koa,  a  wood  that  grows  on  the  Islands  and  is 
considered  sacred.  The  guitar  is  played,  not  by 
pressing  down  the  strings,  but  by  sliding  a  steel 
crosspiece  along  them.  This  produces  the  curious 
tone  quality,  that  make  the  crying,  pleading  music 
of  this  instrument  unlike  anything  else  on  earth. 
Several  Edison  Records  have  been  very  successfully 
made. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  FEBRUARY,  1916 


Out  Among  Our  Dealers 


WHAT  THREE  MAINE  DEALERS  SAY 

Following  are  extracts  from  letters  written  by 
three  Maine  Amberola  dealers  and  sent  in  by 
Chandler  &  Co.,  Bangor: 

In  regard  to  keeping  records;  we  keep  about  500 
on  hand  all  the  time,  picking  out  what  is  best 
suited  to  our  locality  each  month.  These  records 
are  kept  in  a  wall  case,  each  slot  just  the  depth 
of  the  length  of  a  record,  and  each  slot  containing 
fifteen  records;  these  are  arranged  and  classified 
according  to  the  artists,  which  makes  it  very  easy 
to  locate  them  quickly,  and  also  keeps  the  records 
clean  and  fresh  looking.  We  sell  machines  mostly 
on  the  installment  plan;  one  verv  similar  to  the  one 
laid  down  in  last  month's  bulletin  from  the  Edison 
factory. — A.  J.  Fulton,  Prop.  Corner  Drug  Store, 
Blaine,  Me. 

With  reference  to  my  method  of  pushing  the  sale 
of  Edison  Phonographs,  we  have  no  local  paper 
here,  so  I  have  to  resort  to  circular  letters  and 
personal  solicitation.  For  keeping  my  records  I 
had  a  case  built  at  the  back  end  of  my  store,  which 
holds  1,453  records,  and  I  stamp  every  kind  of 
phonograph  advertising  matter  that  leaves  my 
store  with  this  imprint,  "We  carry  every  Edison 
Record." — E.  J.  Farnham,  Patten,  Me. 

We  have  no  special  method  of  pushing  sales. 
We  mail  advertising  wherever  we  think  it  will  be 
of  any  benefit,  and  interview  personally  whenever 
we  see  any  possibility  of  being  able  to  interest 
them.  As  soon  as  they  appear  to  be  interested 
enough  to  warrant  it  we  try  to  get  them  to  let  us 
put  in  a  machine  on  trial.  We  expect  to  be  in 
position  soon  to  do  some  slide  advertising  in  the 
moving  picture  shows  in  this  vicinity.  We  use  the 
Rapke  tray  system  for  keeping  records. — Caswell  & 
Chapman,  Harrison,  Me. 


An  Amberola  dealer  in  a  small  town  in  South 
Dakota  shows  an  increase  of  $335  in  his  instrument 
and  record  business  for  eleven  months  of  1915  over 
the  entire  year  of  1914.  Another  dealer  in  a  small 
town  in  Ohio  shows  an  increase  of  $200  for  the 
same  period.  Just  shows  how  some  dealers  are 
alive  to  the  possibilities  of  the  Amberola. 


BEST  HE  EVER  HAD 

I  am  enclosing  sheet  out  of  Phonograph  Monthly 
about  cylinder  business.  I  am  a  little  late  with  this 
but  I  have  been  too  busy  to  attend  to  it  sooner.  I 
am  also  enclosing  copy  of  some  of  the  advertising 
that  I  did  during  the  holidays. 

My  trade  for  the  holidays  has  been  fine;  the 
best  I  ever  had.  I  sold  eight  Edisons  during 
December.     I  also  had  a  fine  sale  of  records. 

My  prospects  for  1916  look  as  though  I  would 
do  twice  the  business  that  I  did  in  1915.  I  am 
going  after  it  harder  than  ever  and  expect  to  make 
goodT — Lewis   G.  DuVall,  Meadville,  Pa. 


A  CLEVER  WINDOW  ATTRACTION 

Manager  M.  M.  Blackman,  of  the  Kansas  City 
Edison  Shop,  headquarters  for  Edison  Phonographs, 
devised  a  novel  window  attraction  for  the  recent 
holiday  crowds.  He  secured  a  telautograph  and 
mounted  it  on  an  Edison  phonograph,  the  wires  run- 
ning down  into  the  body  of  the  machine  and  through 
the  window-floor  out  of  sight.  An  operator,  hidden 
from  view,  watched  the  crowds  passing  and  wrote 
pertinent  messages  to  them  on  the  machine,  so  that 
a  man  with  a  brilliant  necktie  or  a  lady  shopper 
with  her  arms  full  of  bundles  would  stop  in  front 
of  the  window  and  suddenly  see  a  message  ad- 
dressed to  them  personally  appear  on  the  roll  of 
paper  in  the  machine.  So  completely  was  the  illu- 
sion carried  out  that  some  spectators  seemed  to  have 
the  idea  that  the  machine  was  actually  a  part  of  a 
new  phonograph  that  could  transcribe  whatevei 
was  on  a  record !  While  this  idea  may  seem 
fantastic,  still  it  is  not  without  the  range  of  possi- 
bility that  some  day  a  machine  may  be  perfected 
which  will  put  into  written  or  printed  notes  what- 
ever may  be  spoken  into  it. 


When  making  a  demonstration,  do  you  ever  invite 
your  prospective  customer  to  play  the  Amberola 
himself?  Wouldn't  this  give  him  a  more  personal 
interest  and  bring  him  into  more  intimate  contact 
with  the  instrument  and  yourself?  We  think  it 
would  help  some.     Try  it. 


ALWAYS  INTERESTED 

"You  might  be  interested  in  a  window  display 
that  we  have  at  present  on  view,"  recently  wrote 
A.  C.  Mandy,  manager  of  the  Phonograph  Shop, 
Ltd.,  Ottawa,  Can. 

"We  have  in  the  center  of  our  window  a  bacn- 
ground  representing  a  wall  of  a  room  and  a  fire- 
place and  mantel  with  pictures,  etc.,  on.  In  front 
of  this  we  have  a  rug  spread  out  and  drawn  up 
alongside  the  fireplace,  in  which  we  have  the  effect 
of  glowing  coals.  We  have  an  easy  chair  with  a 
figure  of  an  elderly  lady  with  grey  hair,  dressed 
in  black,  sitting  knitting.  We  have  a  few  little 
touches  of  a  home  around  and  our  whole  idea  is  to 
feature  Edison  Blue  Amberol  Record  No.  2762, 
'Little  Grey  Mother.'  We  have  a  card  in  the  win- 
dow reading  'Little  Grey  Mother,'  the  newest  War 
Song.  Come  in  and  hear  it.'  This  has  resulted  in 
creating  a  good  demand  for  this  record,  and  also 
of  getting  people  into  the  store  who  we  have  a 
chance  of  selling  other  records  to." 


It  is  gratifying  to  note  that  a  California  Amberola 
dealer  who  also  handles  a  well  known  make  of  disc 
talking  machine  says  the  Amberola  is  his  favorite. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  FEBRUARY,  1916 


Out  Among  Our  Dealers — Continued 


EXPECTS  100%  INCREASE  IN  1916 

"In  connection  with  the  music  end  of  this  firm's 
business  we  will  tell  you  the  following  interesting 
details,  having  to  do  with  a  new  idea  in  selling 
musical  instruments  in  a  small  town  the  size  of  this, 
which  has  less  than  four  thousand  population,  and 
the  entire  county  having  less  than  sixteen  thousand 
people,"  writes  W.  C.  Brewer,  manager  of  the 
Music  Department  of  the  Lair  Furniture  Company, 
Charleston,  Mo. 

"The  writer  began  with  this  firm,  taking  charge 
of  their  music  department  a  little  over  a  year  ago. 
Of  course  it  took  several  months  to  get  things  to 
going  at  all,  but  for  the  last  twelve  months  to 
date,  we  have  had  ample  opportunity  to  try  out 
our  idea,  and  the  results  speak  for  themselves. 
In  the  past  twelve  months  we  have  sold  in  phono- 
graphs and  records  alone  over  forty-five  hundred 
dollars;  in  pianos,  players  and  player  rolls  we  have 
sold  over  six  thousand  dollars.  Both  the  piano 
and  the  phonograph  business  has  been  built  up  here 
in  the  twelve  months  past.  But  the  most  interesting 
feature  of  this  development  is  this:  we  do  not  send 
out  canvassers,  we  have  no  'doorbell  ringers,'  we 
do  not  go  out  after  the  business  by  personal  calls; 
we  make  the  business  come  to  us,  and  the  way  we 
do  it  is  this:  This  firm  takes  a  full  page  ad.  in  the 
one  newspaper  in  the  county  that  has  a  good  circu- 


lation ;  the  music  department  gets  about  one-fourth 
of  this  space  weekly.  We  do  not  offer  any  'special' 
talk,  we  simply  preach  quality  and  store  service. 
We  do  not  feature  terms,  other  than  to  mention  that 
payments  may  be  had  if  desired.  The  word  'bar- 
gain' does  not  appear  either  in  our  ads.  or  in  our 
letters  to  buyers. 

"After  a  prospect  is  once  located  we  bombard  him 
with  personal  letters,  written  by  the  writer.  Not 
the  'cut-and-dried'  sort  of  dead  copy  stuff  that  pro- 


F.  D.  Lair,  President 


W.  C.  Brewer,  Manager 

fessional  copy  writers  put  out  by  the  bale,  but 
genuine  'personal'  heart-to-heart  talks  to  prospec- 
tive buyers. 

"When  the  writer  came  with  this  firm  the  town 
had  three  so-called  newspapers,  none  of  which 
really  reached  the  buying  public.  Mr.  Lair  had 
long  sought  for  an  advertising  medium  that  would 
produce  results,  but  in  vain ;  so,  about  a  year  ago, 
he  bought  two  of  the  so-called  newspapers,  com- 
bined them  into  one  (The  Enterprise-Courier),  got 
out  and  hustled  up  a  big  bona  fide,  live  circulation; 
a  circulation  that  reaches  every  corner  of  this 
county.  Then  we  began  to  run  our  full  page  store 
ads.  All  the  business  of  this  store,  musical  or  other 
lines,  is  confined  practically  to  this  county.  The 
same  general  plan  of  reaching  prospects  that  is 
employed  in  the  music  department  is  employed  in 
the  other  departments,  with  some  slight  exceptions, 
made  necessary  by  the  nature  of  the  various  lines. 

"In  the  music  department  each  prospect  is  reached 
by  a  personal  letter  at  least  once  each  month,  and 
sometimes  oftener.     This  is  also  true,  in  the  main, 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  FEBRUARY,  1916 


Out  Among  Our  Dealers— Continued 


of  some  other  lines  in  our  place.  We  have  used 
the  Edison  in  selective  gatherings,  by  invitation, 
in  our  store  for  over  a  year;  have  made  special 
efforts  to  give  entertainments  in  private  and  public 
social  gatherings  in  all  parts  of  the  county.  On  one 
occasion  we  supplanted  the  choir  in  one  of  our  lead- 
ing churches  in  the  Sunday  evening  services.  In 
fact,  we  talk  Edison  every  time  and  in  every  place 
we  get  the  chance,  and  the  results  show  that  we 
have  made  good  on  our  plan  of  selling.  We  think 
that  we  can  increase  our  music  business  nearly,  if 
not  quite,  a  hundred  per  cent,  in  the  next  year 
without  going  out  of  the  county." 


EDISON  JOBBERS  GET  TOGETHER 

The  Edison  Jobbers'  Association  will  hold  its 
annual  meeting  at  the  Knickerbocker  Hotel,  New 
York  City,  February  14,  15  and  16. 

Two  days  of  the  convention  will  be  devoted  to 
executive  business,  when  the  annual  election  of 
officers  will  take  place  and  the  matter  of  a  definite 
date  for  the  dealers'  convention  will  come  up  for 
discussion.  The  present  indications  are  that  this 
meeting  w7ill  be  held  some  time  in  May.  Wednes- 
day, the  16th,  will  be  taken  up  by  lectures  on  sales 
promotion  work.  After  the  close  of  the  meetings 
in  New  York,  the  Association  will  journey  out  to 
the  Edison  works  at  Orange,  where  they  will  be 
accorded   an   informal   reception. 


Another  example  of  a  live  Amberola  dealer  is  one 
in  Michigan,  who  publishes  an  advertisement  extol- 
ling the  merits  of  the  Amberola  and  its  music.  This 
representative  is  also  agent  for  a  well  known  talk- 
ing machine,  but  all  he  shows  in  his  advertisement 
regarding  this  machine  is  a  one-inch  cut  of  their 
trade  mark  and  a  small  cut  of  a  machine.  He  has 
cuts  of  three  Edison  Diamond  Amberolas  and  every 
bit  of  reading  matter  refers  to  them. 


Some  folks  are  always  "fixin'  "  to  do  something 
that  is  never  done.  Some  Amberola  dealers  are 
always  fixin'  to  do  a  good  business  next  year  or 
next  season  or  some  other  time  in  the  hazy  future. 
They  might  take  after  a  certain  dealer  in  Ohio  who, 
to  quote  him  personally,  is  "not  preparing,  but 
doing  it."  

In  one  of  the  largest  Eastern  cities,  where  disc 
machines  are  as  popular  as  anywhere  in  the 
country,  one  of  our  dealers  reports  that  his  Blue 
Amberol  record  business  is  as  good  as  any  time  for 
the  past  five  years. 


Good  photographs  are  always  acceptable.  Though 
we  may  not  be  able  to  use  every  one  sent,  we  will 
at  least  give  them  every  consideration. 


EDISON  BOOSTERS  AT 
CLINTON,  ILL. 

Here    are   the    portraits  of  two   very   loyal   Edison 
men  of  Clinton,  111.,  J.  H.  Schmith  and  his  son  H.  B. 

Schmith. 


J.  H.  Schmith,  The  Father 


H.  B.  Schmith,  The  Son 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  FEBRUARY,  1916 


Out  Among  Our  Dealers—  Continued 


NEW  DEALERS,  WE  BID  YOU 
WELCOME 

HERE  is  the  best  kind  of  evidence  that  many 
merchants  are  alive  to  the  possibilities  of  the 
Amberola  line.    Below  we  give  lists  of  those 
who  have   become  Edison  Amberola   dealers  since 
the  first  of  the  year.     Pretty   encouraging  outlook 
for  1916,  isn't  it? 

NEW  AMBEROLA  DEALERS 
F.  Widmer,  Alliance,  O. 

E.  E.  Sandoz,  Verdigre,  Neb. 

H.  J.  Partridge  Plumbing  Co.,  Greensburp-.  Kans. 

Blaine  Drug    &Book  Co.,  Bow  Island,  Alta.,  Can. 

W.  J.  Jenkins,  Madrid,  la. 

Sam  Bonner,  Seymour,  la. 

W.  A.  Bickford,  Earlham,  la. 

Haddorff  Piano  Co.,  Rockford,  111. 

J.   E.   Harris,   Quasqueton,   la. 

F.  L.  McCurnin,  Perry,  la. 

E.  A.  Grimwood,  Oxford  Junction,  la. 
Menahga  Hardware  Co.,  Menahga,  Minn. 
C.  M.  Klein,  Millerville,  Minn. 

F.  M.  Sowle,  New  Bedford,  Mass. 
T.  H.  Porter,  Cadillac,  Sask.,  Can. 

Grenfell  Milling  &  Elevator  Co.,  Glenavon, 
Sask.,   Can. 

Grenfell  Milling  &  Elevator  Co.,  Kipling,  Sask., 
Can. 

A.  D.  Badgely  &  Son,  Palmer,  Sask.,  Can. 

Daniel   C.  McMillan,  Consul,  Sask.,  Can. 

The  Limerick  Drug  Co.,  Limerick,  Sask.,  Can. 

J.  W.  Decker  &  Co.,  Bromhead,  Sask.,  Can. 

Peter  D.  Sweeney,  Hazenmore,  Sask.,  Can. 

Burton  E.  Brintnell,  Brighton,  Ont,  Can. 

Joseph  Charles  Levesque,  Cochrane,  Ont.,  Can. 

Ray  Grimley,  St.  Charles,  Mich. 

Wexler  &  Kubacki,  Cayuga,  N.  D. 

Grenfell  Milling  &  Elevator  Co.,  Windthorst, 
Sask.,  Can. 

Grenfell  Milling  &  Elevator  Co.,  Neudorf,  Sask., 
Can. 

W.  M.  Roberts  &  Co.,  Forgan,  Sask.,  Can. 

A.  M.  Smith,  Mazenod,  Sask.,  Can. 

L.  A.  Murphy,  Killam,  Alta.,  Can. 

LeRoy  &  Co.,  Morrin,  Alta.,  Can. 

J.   C.   Calder,   Coronation,  Alta.,   Can. 

The  following  are  dealers  who  began  their  con- 
nection with  the  Edison  organization  by  taking  on 
the  Disc  line  only,  but  have  now  become  full- 
fledged  Edison  dealers  by  adding  the  Amberola 
line: 

George  W.  Williams,  Hollidayburg,  Pa. 

Stapleton's  Pharmacy,   Watertown,   Wis. 

The  Walton  Music  Co.,  Walton,  N.  Y. 

Louis  Luxenburg,  Barnesboro,  Pa. 

G.  L.  Hale,  Bridgeport,  111. 

Legitimate  Drug  Co.,  Chanute,  Kans. 

J.  A.  Russnell,  Niagara  Falls,  Ont.,  Can. 


BUILDING  A  37000-A-MONTH  EDISON 
BUSINESS  FROM  A  SINGLE  EDISON 

WE  ATTRIBUTE  the  success  of  the  Ellas 
Marx  Music  Co.  to  the  Edison  Phono- 
graph." So  writes  Mr.  Marx,  of  the  Marx 
Music  Co.,  Sacramento,  Cal. 

The  story  of  their  success  is  very  interesting  and 
amusing.  Mr.  Marx  says:  "I  was  prompted  to 
order  an  Edison  Phonograph  for  one  of  our  violin 
string  customers.  The  selling  price  at  that  time 
of  the  Edison  'Gem'  Phonograph  was  $12.50.  Our 
fixtures  at  the  time  consisted  of  a  table  (valued  at 
$1.50)  ;  this  was  partly  occupied  with  our  stock 
of  musical  merchandise,  which  consisted  of  two 
zithers,  seven  sheets  of  music,  thirteen  fiddle 
strings,  one  fiddle  bridge,  two  chin-rests  and  one 
mandolin. 

"However,  we  found  room  for  the  Edison  Phon- 
ograph and  six  wax  Edison  records  on  one  corner 
of  the  table,  there  to  await  the  arrival  of  our  first 
prospect.  While  we  were  waiting,  an  old  cat, 
which  had  been  chased  into  the  store  by  a  dog, 
jumped  onto  the  table  to  escape  the  dog,  and 
knocked  off  five  of  the  six  records,  breaking  four 
of  them — a  great  loss  to  us  at  the  time,  since  our 
entire  stock  (including  cash  on  hand)  would  in- 
voice about  $17.50.  This  loss  was  a  great  blow; 
imagine  the  sleep  the  writer  lost  over  same!  We 
had  to  pay  at  that  time  40  cents  wholesale  for  the 
wax  records. 

"Nevertheless,  we  succeeded  in  selling  the  Edison 
Gem  Phonograph  with  the  two  remaining  records, 
left  from  the  disaster!  This  sale  led  to  another 
order  the  following  day  for  another  'Gem'  and 
six  more  records.  Our  former  customer  came  into 
the  store  bringing  a  friend  with  him,  who  also 
placed  an  order  for  an  Edison  'Standard'  Phono- 
graph and  six  dozen  records.  Then  we  awakened 
to  the  fact  that  the  Edison  Phonograph  business 
required  more  attention !  The  writer  says  'we,' 
because   he   and   his  wife  were  the  'we.' 

"It  was  through  the  encouragement  of  my  wife 
that  I  plucked  up  courage  to  go  ahead  with  the 
business  after  the  great  catastrophe  caused  by  the 
old  cat. 

"Following  Mrs.  Marx's  suggestion,  we  gave  the 
Edison  Phonograph  all  due  attention,  with  the 
result  of  elevating  the  monthly  sales  from  $48  to 
the  magnificent  total  of  $7,000  a  month,  with  good 
chances  of  raising  the  total  to  $10,000  a  month  for 
next  year."  

Let  us  hear  from  you  when  you  have  anything 
you  think  we  could  use  in  these  columns. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  FEBRUARY,  1916 


Within  the  Edison  Gate 


OUR  FRONT  COVER 

This  picture  was  taken  during  what  is  lunch  time 
for  employees  of  the  Edison  works,  when  they  lay 
off  for  an  hour's  respite  from  their  labors.  This  is 
the  hour  Mr.  Edison  puts  in  at  his  desk,  solving  the 
problems  that  come  up  in  the  morning's  mail.  It  is 
characteristic  of  him  that  he  should  be  at  work 
while  others  rest.  In  this  picture  you  see  part  of 
the  famed  library  of  the  equally  famed  private 
laboratory,  where  achievements  that  have  time  and 
again  startled  the  world  have  been  thought  out  and 
wrought  out.  You  also  see  a  desk  that  is  as  hal- 
lowed for  the  material  progress  it  has  witnessed  as 
the  table  on  which  the  Declaration  of  Independence 
was  signed  is  for  the  political  progress  in  which 
it  played  a  part.  Where  one  saw  the  shackles  of 
tyranny  struck  off,  the  other  sees  the  binding  cords 
of  nature  and  custom  torn  asunder. 


SIXTY-NINE    FEBRUARY    11th    AND 
THE  YOUNGEST  OF  US  ALL 

If  a  man  is  only  as  old  as  he  thinks,  Thomas  A. 
Edison  is  entering  the  prime  of  super-manhood, 
constantly  developing  in  keenness  of  insight  and 
foresight,  brilliancy  of  intellect  and  vigor  of 
thought. 

While  we  could  pay  no  tribute  that  would  extend 
beyond  the  innumerable  honors  bestowed  upon  him 
during  his  unmatched  career,  we  will  say  that  we 
still  look  up  to  him  as  the  first  son  of  Mother 
Necessity  and  the  right  hand  of  Progress. 


The  many  "Down  East"  friends  of  J.  W.  Scott, 
who  has  been  a  member  of  the  Edison  demonstrat- 
ing force  for  the  past  year,  will  be  glad  to  learn 
that  he  has  been  made  a  special  Edison  sales  repre- 
sentative and  assigned  to  the  Maine  district.  Mr. 
Scott  "came  in"  for  the  holidays. 


An  interesting  and  unique  feature  planned  for 
Mr.  Edison's  birthday  is  the  wearing  by  every 
employee  of  the  big  Orange  plant  of  a  button 
inscribed  "EDISON  69." 


What  may  not  be  news  to  you  may  be  news  to 
me.  What  may  be  news  to  you  is  likely  to  be  news 
to  others.  Let  us  hear  from  you  with  anything  you 
think  printable. 


AN  IMPROMPTU  CONFERENCE 


Unlike  the  Presidents  of  most  large 
corporations,  Mr.  Edison  does  not  sit 
at  a  desk  and  direct  the  affairs  of  his 
varied  interests  by  means  of  messenger 
boys,  call  bells,  telephones,  etc.  His 
work  takes  him  to  all  parts  of  the  Edi- 
son Laboratories,  and  wherever  he 
happens  to  be  is  the  President's  head- 
quarters. The  day  when  the  accom- 
panying photograph  was  taken  on  De- 
cember 30,  1915  (and  not  summer,  as 
Mr.  Wilson's  straw  hat  would  seem  to 
indicate),  and  it  shows  Mr.  Edison  in 
consultation  with  C.  H.  Wilson,  Vice- 
President  and  General  Manager,  and 
William  Maxwell,  Second  Vice-Presi- 
dent and  Manager  of  the  Musical 
Phonograph  Division,  outside  of  the 
entrance  to  the  Laboratory. 


10 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  FEBRUARY,  1916 


Within  the  Edison  Gate— Continued 


WHEN  THE  BOYS  RELAX 

Just  about  three  hundred  days  out  of  the  year 
the  several  thousand  employees  of  Thomas  A. 
Edison,  Inc.,  bend  over  their  tasks  with  energy  and 
enthusiasm  perhaps  greater  than  in  most  organiza- 
tions because  the  atmosphere  in  office  and  factory 
seems  charged  with  the  industrious  spirit  of  Mr. 
Edison  himself.  He  is  the  great  worker.  But  there 
is  one  day,  or  evening  rather,  when  everyone  lets 
down  and  that  is  the  event  of  the  annual  banquet  of 
the  Edison  Club,  an  organization  of  Edison  em- 
ployees. 

February  5th  is  the  date  on  which  loyal  Edison 
workers  journey  to  Newark  for  a  general  exchange 
of  good  fellowship  and  incidentally  the  consumption 
of  food  prepared  by  the  chef  of  the  Washington. 
Mr.  Edison's  part  on  the  program  is  the  holding  of 
an  informal  reception,  after  which  Edison  vocal  and 
instrumental  artists  entertain  with  favorite  phono- 
graph selection,  and  the  motion  picture  division 
features  some  of  its  screen  favorites  in  brief  skits. 
The  menu  is  gotten  out  in  the  same  size  and  form 
as  the  Phonograph  Monthly  and  is  a  veritable 
"riot  of  roasts"  (edible  and  otherwise)  in  which  no 
one  is  spared,  from  the  chiefs  down  to  Finnegan 
who  puts  the  ice  in  the  water  coolers. 

Every  department  takes  a  hand  in  making  the 
evening  one  to  be  remembered  throughout  the  year. 


THE  EDISON  SPIRIT 

"Within  the  Edison  Gate"  on  the  top  floor  of  the 
big  concrete  office  building  there  has  been  fitted  up 
a  lunch  room  for  the  benefit  of  employees  who  live 
a  considerable  distance  from  their  work.  Tables 
have  been  set  up  where  those  who  bring  their  lunch 
may  order  a  la  carte  in  addition  to  what  they  bring, 
while  others  have  the  regular  table  d'hote  served 
from  12  to  1  o'clock. 

An  interesting  feature  of  lunch  time  is  the  phono- 
graphic concerts.  In  addition,  there  is  a  grand 
piano  which  employees  have  the  privilege  of 
playing,  and  of  which  they  frequently  take  advan- 
tage.    At  times  singing  is  indulged  in. 

The  point  is  this — if  the  great  busy  Edison 
organization  has  time  to  look  after  the  personal 
welfare  of  their  employees,  isn't  it  a  pretty  good 
sign  that  we  keep  you  in  mind  with  the  thought  of 
helping  you  all  we  can  to  increase  your  business? 

That's  the  Edison  spirit. 


OUR  VISITORS 

During  the  past  month  we  had  the  pleasure  of 
extending  the  hand  of  good-fellowship  to  several 
jobbers  and  dealers  who  came  within  the  Edison 
Gate.  Jobbers  and  other  representatives  who  fra- 
ternized with  us  were  Messrs.  H.  A.  Mosher,  R.  S. 
Williams  &  Sons  Co.,  Ltd.,  Toronto;  C.  B.  Haynes, 
Richmond,  Va. ;  N.  G.  Griffin  and  P.  R.  Hawley, 
American     Phonograph   Company,  Albany,   N.  Y. ; 


Albert  A.  Buehn,  Buehn  Phonograph  Co.,  Pitts- 
burgh, Pa.;  W.  CX  Pardee  and  F.  H.  Silliman, 
Pardee-Ellenberger  Co.,  New  Haven  and  Boston; 
A.  J.  Pommer,  Pacific  Phonograph  Co.,  San  Fran- 
cisco. The  dealers  were  represented  by  Richard 
Nelson,  Diamond  Disc  Studio,  Albany,  N.  Y.,  and 
W.  F.  L.  Rosenblat,  Simmons  Talking  Machine  Co., 
Bristol,  Va.-Tenn.,  regarding  whose  business  change 
we  have  another  item. 


SUPERVISORS  AND  THEIR  WORK 

Supervisors  H.  L.  Marshall,  C.  S.  Gardner,  J.  E. 
Curtis,  H.  R.  Skelton  and  C.  W.  Burgess  visited  the 
factory  during  the  holiday  season.  They  brought 
in  glowing  reports  from  their  respective  fields  and 
went  out  more  enthusiastic  than  ever  over  the  out- 
look for  1916.  Supervisor  Curtis,  formerly  covei\ 
ing  the  Chicago,  Des  Moines,  Sioux  City,  Minne- 
apolis and  Milwaukee  zones,  has  been  transferred 
to  the  New  York  City,  Philadelphia,  Williamsport, 
Pa.,  and  Richmond,  Va.,  zones.  The  territories  of 
the  other  supervisors  are  now  as  follows: 

H.  L.  Marshall — San  Francisco,  Los  Angeles, 
Spokane,  Seattle  and  Portland  zones. 

C.  W.  Burgess — St.  Louis,  Kansas  City,  Omaha, 
Denver,  Ogden  and  Helena  zones. 

A.  P.  Burns — New  Orleans,  Dallas  and  El  Paso 
zones. 

C.  S.  Gardner — Pittsburg,  Cleveland,  Cincinnati, 
Indianapolis  and  Detroit  zones. 

H.  R.  Skelton — Bangor,  Boston,  New  Haven, 
Albany  and  Syracuse  zones. 


EDISON    HONORED 

To  be  referred  to  as  the  most  famous  man  in  the 
world  was  the  honor  accorded  Thomas  A.  Edison 
when,  on  the  evening  of  January  15th,  at  the 
Waldorf-Astoria  hotel  in  New  York  City,  Mr 
Edison  appeared  as  guest  of  honor  at  the  annua 
dinner  of  the  Ohio  Society  of  New  York.  Mr. 
Edison  is  a  native  of  Ohio.  Charles  P.  Bruch, 
President  of  the  Society,  made  the  reference  noted 
above  when  a  toast  was  drunk  to  "the  Wizard  of 
Menlo  Park." 

Among  the  speakers  was  Josephus  Daniels,  Sec- 
retary of  the  Navy,  who  paid  tribute  to  the  patriotic 
devotion  with  which  Mr.  Edison,  Chairman,  and 
his  associates  on  the  Naval  Construction  Board  had 
toiled  for  weeks  for  their  country,  dealing  with  the 
great  problems  before  them. 

One  of  the  features  of  the  evening  was  the 
presence  at  one  table  of  a  group  of  former  tele- 
graph operators  who  had  been  associated  with  Mr. 
Edison,  who  is  himself  a  veteran  master  of  the  key. 
A  wire  had  been  laid  from  this  table  to  the  place 
of  Mr.  Edison  on  the  dais,  and  over  it  was  sent 
the  message  to  him,  "73  to  the  Wizard  of  Menlo 
Park,"  to  which  he  tapped  out  the  answer,  "Gentle- 
men, I  thank  you  all.  73."  The  numerals  in  the 
telegraph  code  mean  "Best  wishes." 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  FEBRUARY,  1916 


11 


The  Dealer's  Window 


VALUE  OF  WINDOW  DISPLAY 

YOUR  window  display  should  receive  as  much 
thought,  care  and  attention  as  any  part  of  your 
advertising  and  selling  work.  It  is  truly  a 
vital  part,  else  why  should  the  big  department  and 
specialty  stores  of  our  great  cities  pay  such  princely 
salaries  to  experts  who  spend  their  entire  time  plan- 
ning, laying  out  and  executing  window  displays? 

An  attractive  window  display  will  give  your 
business  message  to  the  public  in  a  language  every- 
one readily  understands — namely,  pictures,  for  is 
not  a  window  display  either  a  good  or  bad  "pic- 
ture"? It  is  the  best  kind  of  a  picture  because  it 
shows  the  goods  themselves. 

The  merchant  who  fails  to  make  his  windows  as 
attractive  as  possible  is  losing  just  so  much  of  a 
valuable  asset.  The  writer  has  in  mind  a  gift 
shop  which,  only  by  accident,  he  discovered  carried 
a  line  of  holiday  goods  superior  to  any  in  town,  yet 
considerably  lower  in  price.  Had  this  merchant 
made  an  attractive  display  of  these  goods  in  his 
window  with  prices  attached  he  most  surely  would 
have  sold  out  on  them.  Instead,  he  kept  them  in  the 
back  of  his  store  and,  as  a  consequence,  had  a  lot 


left  on  his  hands,  while  another  store  sold  out  a 
higher-priced,  inferior  line  mainly  because  the 
proprietor  made  an  attractive  window  display  of 
his  goods. 

It  would  be  well  to  remember,  when  planning  a 
window  disolay,  to  have  a  fixed  purpose  in  mind 
as  to  just  what  you  wish  to  accomplish.  It  is 
better  to  display  one  line  at  a  time,  or  at  least 
emphasize  one  line  and  make  the  rest  distinctly  sub- 
ordinate rather  than  attempt  an  equal  display  of 
half  a  dozen  lines  at  one  time,  resulting  in  nothing 
more  than  confusion  in  the  mind  of  the  passer-by. 
Remembering  that  there  are  other  windows  to  be 
seen,  you  will  realize  the  advantage  of  some  pre- 
dominating feature  to  catch  the  public  eye. 

Among  the  points  to  keep  in  mind  when  planning 
and  dressing  your  window  are  balance  (relation  of 
the  various  objects,  display  cards,  hangers,  drapery, 
etc.,  to  each  other)  ;  proportion  (for  instance,  setting 
smaller  objects  forward  and  larger  objects  back)  ; 
appropriateness  of  property  (draperies,  festoonings, 
etc.)  as  regards  the  character  of  the  line  displayed, 
seasons,  holidays,  etc.;  underdress  rather  than  over- 
dress; few  colors  at  one  time  and  these  conservative 
and,  above  all,  in  harmony  with  each  other  and 
the  surroundings. 


A  VALENTINE  DISPLAY 


The  Window  Complete 

The  display  illustrated  herewith  can  be  set  up 
with  very  little  expense,  time  and  work.  The  dis- 
play window  shown  is  seven  feet  wide  and  six 
feet  deep,  and  while  the  display  looks  best  with 
these  dimensions  it  is  well  adapted  to  a  wundow 
of  any  reasonable  size  and  shape. 

Here's  all  you  have  to  do:  From  a  sheet  of  red 
cardboard,  22x28  inches,  cut  a  large  red  heart. 
Then  cut  the  attached  wings,  also  from  red  card- 
board, and  fasten  them  to  the  back  of  the  heart  and 
set  it  about  3  inches  from  the  background.  Appro- 
priate Spring  foliage  is  arranged  as  shown  in  the 
cut.  Baby  ribbon  or  strips  of  crepe  paper  can  be 
used  instead  if  desired.  A  quiver  with  three 
arrows    and    two    small    wings    are   cut   from    gold 


The  Window  in  Outline 

cardboard  and  embellished  with  a  large  bow  of 
red  ribbon.  This  is  fastened  to  a  stand  set  to  the 
left  of  the  display. 

The  Amberola  is  set  on  a  platform  5  inches  high. 
A  length  of  velour  is  puffed  on  the  floor  over  this 
platform  and  across  the  front  of  the  window.  An 
18-inch  pedestal,  with  two  glass  slabs  crossing  each 
other,  is  placed  to  the  right,  above  the  center  of 
which  sets  a  "Van  Brunt"  illustration.  A  generous 
bow  of  red  ribbon  is  attached  to  the  right  side  of 
the  frame.  One  hundred  Amberol  Records  are  then 
placed  throughout  the  display,  as  shown  in  the 
photograph,  the  arrangement  as  a  whole  making  a 
most   attractive   window. 


12 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  FEBRUARY,  1916 


Artists  Behind  Edison  Blue  Amberol  Records  for  February 


GEORGE  WILTON   BAEEARD 

A  native  of  Syracuse,  N.  Y.,  Mr.  Bal- 
lard has  for  many  years  been  among  the 
leading  concert  and  church  tenors  in  the 
East.  He  started  his  musical  career  as 
soloist  in  church  choirs  in  Syracuse, 
where  he  remained  upwards  of  ten 
years,  participating  in  important  con- 
certs in  his  home  town  and  throughout 
the  state  of  New  York.  His  enunciation 
and  phrasing,  those  two  qualities  so 
necessary  for  phonograph  work,  are 
specially  commendable. 





MARY  CARSON 
Miss  Carson  is  a  native  of  Houston, 
Texas.  She  has  been  singing  since  she 
was  six  years  old  and  is  one  of  the 
favorites  among  Edison  artists,  as  well 
as  on  the  concert  and  operatic  stage. 
Her  debut  in  opera  was  made  in  Italy, 
when  she  sang  Amino,  in  "Ea  Sonnam- 
bula."  Her  repertoire  consists  of  about 
twenty-five  operas,  in  French,  Italian 
and  German,  together  with  almost  in- 
numerable English  songs.  Her  voice 
records  perfectly,  and  all  her  many 
records  have  become  popular. 


THOMAS  CHALMERS 
The  New  York  public  heard  Thomas 
Chalmers  with  the  Century  Opera  Com- 
pany, during  its  two  seasons,  and  voted 
him  one  of  the  most  promising,  if  not 
the  very  best  baritone  before  the  pub- 
lic now  singing  grand  opera  in  English. 
His  enunciation  is  unusually  distinct, 
which  is  a  big  factor  in  making  Phono- 
graph records.  He  is  extremely  versa- 
tile, and  does  everything  well,  so  that 
his  records  are  uniformly  excellent.  His 
voice  is  of  beautiful  quality  and  he 
handles    it   perfectly. 


HELEN  CLARK 
This  charming  and  artistic  young  con- 
tralto was  born  in  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  of 
a  well-known  and  musical  family.  Miss 
Clark's  talent  developed  early  in  life, 
for  even  as  a  child  she  was  known  for 
her  phenomenal  voice,  and  at  the  ten- 
der age  of  nine  she  began  singing  in 
church  choirs.  The  contralto  timbre  of 
her  voice  soon  became  very  pronounced, 
and  when  about  seventeen  years  of 
age  she  was  brought  to  New  York  and 
placed  under  Madame  Jaeger,  of  the 
Metropolitan   Opera   House. 


BIEEY  GOEDEN 
Black-face  comedy,  Billy  Golden  and 
James  Marlowe  have  been  inseparable 
companions  for  many  years.  Golden 
was  born  in  Cincinnati,  but  grew  up  in 
St.  Louis,  where  he  originated  the 
"Cane  pat,"  now  so  universally  used  by 
buck  dancers.  He  and  his  partner, 
James  Marlowe,  have  won  fame  and 
applause  in  all  the  big  vaudeville  houses 
in  the  country,  where  they  are  always 
known  as  the  "Phonograph  Boys." 


IRVING  KAUFMAN 
Mr.  Kaufman  possesses  a  beautiful, 
rich  tenor  voice  which  has  received 
much  careful  training  under  Professor 
Samoiloff  of  Carnegie  Hall,  New  York. 
His  first  stage  appearance  was  at  the 
tender  age  of  seven,  when  he  appeared 
in  vaudeville.  He  is  a  clever  singer, 
and  his  records  are  always  thoroughly 
enjoyable.  Mr.  Kaufman  is  also  one  of 
the  Kaufman  Brothers,  who  make  their 
phonograph  debut  with  the  February  list. 


KAUFMAN  BROTHERS 

A  favorite  vaudeville  team  known  throughout  the  United 
States*  who,  in  the  words  of  one  critic,  "Make  a  thousand 
people  laugh  every  day."  And  if  you  include  their  Phono- 
graph work,  the  number  is  probably  nearer  ten  thousand. 

BURTON  EENIHAN 

A  native  of  Saginaw,  Michigan,  Burton  Lenihan  studied 
music  for  some  years  in  Boston.  Then  he  went  to  New 
York,  where  he  obtained  several  minor  parts  in  Broadway 
musical  productions.  His  opportunity  for  fame  came  with 
his  engagement  to  sing  the  leading  tenor  role  in  "The 
Firefly"  with  Emma  Trentini,  which  he  did  most  success- 
fully during  the  run  of  this  popular  operetta.  Mr.  Eeni- 
han's  voice  records  well  and  he  promises  to  become  a 
favorite  with  Edison  owners. 

ARTHUR  MIDDLETON 

Mr.  Middleton  is  one  of  the  leading  bass-baritones  of  the 
Metropolitan  Opera  Company  of  New  York.     He  has  been 
there  since  1914,  and  is  constantly  forging  to  the  front  in 
press   and   public    opinion   alike.      Still   a    young   man,    b' 
career  is  most  promising,  and  many  believe  he  will  short 
be  the  greatest  of  all  operatic  artists  of  his  kind. 

ISIDORE   MOSKOWITZ 

Mr.  Moskowitz,  an  American  violinist,  was  for  years  asso- 
ciated with  many  of  the  leading  symphony  orchestras  and 
also  appeared  as  soloist,  after  which  he  left  this  country 
to  complete  his  studies  abroad.  He  later  appeared  in 
Berlin  in  public  with  such  success  that  the  eminent  com- 
poser, Max  Bruch,  sent  him  the  manuscript  of  his  latest 
concert-piece  for  violin  and  orchestra,  to  be  played  in  a 
public  concert  at  which  the  Kaiser  and  his  family  attended. 
Moskowitz  subsequently  returned  to  America,  where  he  is 
now  fulfilling  the  predictions  of  a  very  successful  career. 

BILLY  MURRAY 
Mr.  Murray's  voice  is  so  familiar  to 
the  public  that  it  is  like  introducing  an 
old  friend  to  attempt  to  say  anything 
about  him.  He  was  born  in  Philadel- 
phia, though  he  spent  his  boyhood  in 
Denver,  and  now  lives  in  New  York.  It 
was  while  living  in  Denver  that  he  first 
became  interested  in  theatricals  and 
started  his  successful  career.  Mr.  Mur- 
ray's popularity  among  phonograph  own- 
ers dates  from  his  first  records,  for  his 
clear,  strong  voice  made  an  instantan- 
eous "hit."  He  is  now  one  of  the 
cleverest   singers   of  comic   songs  before   the   public. 

GLADYS  RICE 
Miss  Rice  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  daughter  of  John 
Rice  and  Salley  Cohen,  who  were  prominent  in  the 
theatrical  world.  She  made  her  debut  in  vaudeville  at 
the  Palace  Theatre,  New  York,  and  has  since  appeared  in 
dramatic  and  musical  stock  companies.  Her  personality 
is  very  winning,  and  through  the  medium  of  her  records 
she   is  extremely  charming. 


ELIZABETH  SPENCER 

Although  Miss  Spencer's  voice  is  known 
and  admired  by  thousands  of  Edison  en- 
thusiasts, there  are  probably  very  few 
who  know  that  she  is  the  daughter  of 
William  Gilpin,  who  was  Governor  of 
Colorado.  Miss  Spencer  was  born  in  St. 
Louis,  Missouri.  After  studying  in 
Paris,  she  embarked  upon  her  profes- 
sional career  that  has  been  such  a  suc- 
cess. Her  voice  is  unquestionably  one 
of  the  purest  and  sweetest  sopranos  that 
the  Phonograph  has  ever  recorded. 


GEORGE  L.  THOMPSON 

Mr  Thompson  was  born  in  New  York  City  in  1875.  He 
made  his  first  appearance  in  1893  and  has  been  on  the 
stage  ever  since.  The  American  vaudeville  public  knows 
him   well   as   one   of  the  cleverest   performers   of   his  kind. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  FEBRUARY,  1916 


13 


WALTER    VAN    BRUNT 

Mr.  Van  Brunt,  whose  name  is  a  house- 
hold word  in  thousands  of  American 
families,  comes  from  Brooklyn,  New 
York,  where  he  was  born  in  1892.  It  is 
unnecessary  to  tell  these  who  have  heard 
his  records  how  great  a  favorite  he  has 
become  with  Edison  audiences.  He 
handles  his  fine  tenor  voice  with  such 
ease,  and  sings  so  artistically  that  he 
cannot  help  being  the  admiration  of  all 
who    like   a   versatile    and    gifted   singer. 


ALICE  VERLET 
Critics  have  called  Miss  Verlet's  voice  "The  finest  colora- 
tura soprano  in  the  world."  She  is  a  native  of  Belgium, 
and  is  best  known  in  the  opera  houses  of  Paris,  Brussels, 
and  London.  Her  records  are  really  marvelous.  You 
would  hardly  believe  such  perfect  tones  could  be  pro- 
duced by  the  human  voice.  As  a  singer  of  brilliant 
coloratura   arias   she   is   supreme. 


GEORGE  P.  WATSON 
One  of  the   old   veterans   among  Phonograph   singers,    Mr. 
Watson  has  a  world-wide  fame.      His  style  is   unchanging, 
and   his    many    amusing   records   have   brought    mirth    into 
thousands   upon   thousands   of   homes   of   every   land. 


FREDERICK  WHEELER 
For  several  years  Mr.  Wheeler  has  sung 
for  Edison  records  under  the  assumed 
name  of  James  F.  Harrison.  More  re- 
cently, however,  he  has  been  known 
under  his  true  name.  Mr.  Wheeler  is  a 
native  of  Boonville,  N.  Y.  He  made  his 
greatest  success  in  oratorio  and  concert 
work  after  a  course  of  study  under 
Theodore  Toedt  and  other  prominent 
teachers.  His  exceptional  ability  as  a 
singer,  coupled  with  his  natural  gifts — 
for  his  baritone  voice  is  superb  in  tone 
and  quality — has  won  him  a  host  of 
friends. 


EDWARD  LYMAN  BILL 

It  is  with  sincere  sorrow  and  regret  that  we  note 
he  passing  of  Col.  Edward  Lyman  Bill,  editor  and 
publisher  of  The  Talking  Machine  World  and  The 
Musical  Trade  Review,  which  occurred  suddenly 
from  a  cerebral  hemorrhage  at  his  home  in  New 
Rochelle,  New  York,  January  1. 

In  1905,  Col.  Bill  established  The  Talking 
Machine  World,  which  he  developed  from  a  depart- 
ment in  The  Musical  Trade  Review.  He  religiously 
stood  for  everything  that  made  for  a  higher  stand- 
ing in  the  trade.  While  his  death  is  a  great  loss 
and  will  be  felt  by  everyone  who  knew  his  lofty 
principles,  we  are  confident  the  best  interests  of 
the  industry  will  be  ably  championed  by  the  efficient 
staff  which  for  so  long  has  had  charge  of  The 
Talking  Machine  World. 


NEW  JOBBING  HOUSE 

After  the  first  of  February,  W.  F.  L.  Rosenblatt 
becomes  the  head  of  Phonographs,  Inc.,  Atlanta, 
Ga.,  a  new  jobbing  organization  that  will  cover 
a  zone  including  the  states  of  Georgia  and  Florida, 
a  large  part  of  Alabama  and  a  portion  of  Tennessee. 

Until  his  move  to  Atlanta,  Mr.  Rosenblatt  was 
associated  with  the  Simmons  Talking  Machine  Co., 
Bristol,  Va.-Tenn.  He  will  not  entirely  sever 
connections  with  that  organization,  for  O.  Simmons 
will  have  an  interest  in  the  new  company,  the  pres- 
ent plans  of  which  are  to  begin  business  solely  as 
jobbers,  then  after  a  suitable  location  is  found, 
open  a  retail  department. 


THE  ADVANTAGE 

"Hearing  those  high-priced  opera  singers  on  the 
phonograph  is  almost  as  good  as  hearing  them  on 
the  stage." 

"Better.  You  can  shut  them  off  whenever  you 
like  on  the  phonograph." — Nezv  York  World. 


HAWAIIAN  MUSIC  ON  BLUE 
AMBEROL  RECORDS 

For  years  tourists  have  made  delightful  trips  to 
Hawaii,  and  have  come  home  enthusiastic  about  the 
scenic  wonders  of  the  islands.  Waters  of  beautiful 
deep  blue  that  fascinate  are  seen  through  the  sway- 
ing palms,  and  beyond  rolling  hills;  and  through 
that  atmosphere  of  joyous  laziness,  peculiar  to  the 
far  East,  comes  plaintive  music,  sometimes  sad, 
sometimes  bright  and  cheery,  that  seems  to  move 
untouched  depths  in  one's  soul. 

Is  it  any  wonder  that  returning  visitors  recount 
these  charms  again  and  again;  that  they  generously 
wish  that  they  might  bring  just  a  small  part  back 
to  you,  for  you  to  enjoy  and  talk  about  as  they  do? 

Impossible  though  it  is  to  transport  the  land, 
the  water,  or  the  climate  of  this  garden  spot,  it  is 
now  possible  to  hear  on  the  Blue  Amberol  right  at 
your  fireside  some  of  this  charming  Hawaiian 
music — the  music  of  the  "Ukalele." 

Record  2776,  listed  in  January,  "When  Old  Bill 
Bailey  Plays  the  Ukalele,"  is  a  most  amusing 
ragtime  popular  song.  The  music  is  novel  and 
quite  bewitching,  and  altogether  this  record  is  a 
lively  one. 


WE'LL  APPRECIATE  IT 

Have  you  done  it?  Have  you  filled  in  the  blank 
printed  in  the  December  issue  of  the  Phonograph 
Monthly,  and  sent  it  to  us? 

If  you  haven't,  won't  you  look  up  the  December 
issue,  answer  the  questions  as  asked,  and  send  in 
the  blank? 

We  have  received  a  lot  of  these  blanks,  but  we 
want  a  lot  more.  It  is  difficult  for  us  to  keep  in 
touch  with  all  Edison  Amberola  dealers;  conse- 
quently, when  we  get  these  blanks  properly  filled  in, 
we  get  a  very  good  idea  concerning  the  success  of 
Amberola  dealers  and  their  methods  of  pushing  the 
business. 

We  really  want  to  get  a  filled-in  blank  from 
every  good  Amberola  dealer.  Please  send  yours  in 
if  you  have  not  already  done  so. 


14  EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  FEBRUARY,  1916 


Important  Legal  Decisions 


ENJOINED  FROM  USING  NAME 
"EDISON" 

SHORTLY  before  Christmas,  1915,  the  Timke 
Distributing  Corporation  of  New  York  was 
quite  active  in  attempting  to  create  interest  in 
and  obtain  orders  for  a  small,  low-priced  phono- 
graph called  the  Best-Phone,  by  sending  out  letters 
with  reference  thereto  to  many  Edison  jobbers  and 
dealers,  both  in  Canada  and  the  United  States. 
These  letters  were  written  upon  the  letterhead  of 
the  Timke  Distributing  Corporation  and  were 
signed  by  John  J.  Brophy,  who  will  be  remembered 
as  a  former  Edison  demonstrator.  In  the  letters, 
use  was  made  of  our  trade  mark  and  trade  name 
"Edison"  in  a  manner  designed  to  injure  our  busi- 
ness and  reputation,  namely,  by  representing  that 
the  Best-Phone  was  equipped  with  a  genuine  Edison 
reproducer  or  had  a  genuine  jewel  Edison  repro- 
ducer. As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  reproducer  of  the 
Best-Phone  is  not  "a  genuine  Edison  reproducer" 
or  "a  genuine  jewel  Edison  reproducer,"  and  is  not 
manufactured  or  marketed  by  or  for  Mr.  Edison  or 
Thomas  A.  Edison,  Inc.  Accordingly,  on  December 
17,  1915,  we  brought  suit  against  the  Timke  Dis- 
tributing Corporation  and  John  J.  Brophy  in  the 
United  States  District  Court  for  the  Southern  Dis- 
trict of  New  York,  on  the  grounds  of  unfair  compe- 
tition and  the  infringement  of  our  exclusive  rights 
in  the  trade  mark  and  trade  name  "Edison."  On 
December  30,  1915,  less  than  two  weeks  after  the 
filing  of  the  suit,  a  decree  was  entered  in  our  favor 
as  to  all  points  in  issue,  and  on  January  8,  1916,  an 
injunction  was  issued  perpetually  enjoining  the 
Timke  Distributing  Corporation  and  John  J. 
Brophy,  and  each  of  them,  from  in  any  way  using 
the  word  "Edison"  as  a  designation  for  any  phono- 
graphic apparatus  or  any  phonograph  reproducers 
not  manufactured  by  or  for  Thomas  A.  Edison, 
Incorporated. 

A  copy  of  the  injunction  in  full  follows  herewith: 

UNITED   STATICS   DISTRICT   COURT. 
SOUTHERN  DISTRICT  OF  NEW  YORK. 


THOMAS    A.    FJ)ISON,   INCOR- 
PORATED, 

Plaintiff, 


TIMKE  DISTRIBUTING  COR- 
PORATION AND  JOHN  T. 
BROPHY, 

Defendants. 


THE  PRESIDENT  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES  OF 
AMERICA  TO  TIMKE  DISTRIBUTING  CORPORA- 
TION AND  JOHN  J.  BROPHY,  AND  EACH  OF 
THEM,  AND  THEIR  AND  EACH  OF  THEIR  OFFI- 
CERS, AGENTS,  ATTORNEYS  AND  EMPLOYEES, 
GREETING: 

Whereas,  it  has  been  represented  to  us  in  our  District 
Court  of  the  United  States,  for  the  Second  Circuit  and 
the  Southern  District  of  New  York,  in  Chancery  sitting, 
on  the  part  of  Thomas  A.  Edison,  Incorporated,  plaintiff, 
in  a  certain  bill  of  complaint  exhibited  in  our  said  District 
Court  before  the  judges  thereof,  against  you,  the  said 
Timke  Distributing  Corporation  and  John  J.  Brophy,  to 
be  relieved  touching  the  matters  complained  of,  and  in 
which  said  bill  of  complaint  is  stated,  among  other  things, 
that  your  actings  and  doings  in  the  premises  have  in- 
fringed upon  the  rights  of  the  plaintiff  and  are  contrary 
to  equity  and  good  conscience. 

And  it  being  ordered  that  a  writ  of  perpetual  injunction 
issue  out  of  such  court  upon  said  bill,  enjoining  and  re- 
straining you  and  each  of  you,  as  prayed  for  in  said  bill, 
we,  therefore,  in  consideration  thereof,  and  of  matters 
in  said  bill  set  forth,  do  strictly  command  and  enjoin 
you,  said  Timke  Distributing  Corporation  and  John  J./ 
Brophy,  and  each  of  you,  and  your  and  each  of  your 
officers,  agents,  attorneys  and  employees,  that  you  do 
absolutely  and  perpetually  desist  and  refrain  from  using 
the  word  "EDISON"  in  any  circulars,  advertisements, 
announcements,  placards,  or  in  any  other  way  as  a  desig- 
nation for  any  phonographic  apparatus,  other  than  that 
of  the  plaintiff,  Thomas  A.  Edison,  Incorporated,  and 
from  in  any  way  representing,  circularizing,  or  advertis- 
ing, or  soliciting  orders  for  or  selling,  or  in  any  manner 
disposing  of,  as  Edison  reproducers  or  genuine  Edison 
reproducers,  any  phonograph  reproducers  not  manufac- 
tured by  or  for  the  plaintiff,  Thomas  A.  Edison,  Incor- 
porated, and  from  infringing  upon  or  violating  the  rights 
of  plaintiff,  Thomas  A.  Edison,  Incorporated,  in  the 
premises  in  any  manner  whatsoever.  Hereof  fail  not 
under  the  penalty  of  what  the  law  directs. 

WITNESS  the  Honorable  Charles  M.  Hough,  Judge  of 
the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the  Southern 
District  of  New  York,  at  New  York,  in  said  District,  this 
8th  day  of  January,  in  the  year  of  Our  Eord  One  Thou- 
sand Nine  Hundred  and  Sixteen,  and  of  our  Indepen- 
dence,  the   140th   year. 

(Signed)    AEEX.   GILCHRIST,  JR., 

Clerk. 
(SEAE) 

A  TRUE  COPY  of  a  writ  issued  January  8,  1916. 
AEEX.  GIECHRIST,  JR., 

Clerk. 


In    Equity. 


THE  DECISION  OF  THE  CIRCUIT 

COURT  OF  APPEALS  IN  THE 

"MACY  CASE" 

A  DECISION  of  considerable  interest  and  im- 
portance as  bearing  on  the  question  of  the 
right  of  the  manufacturer  to  control  the  price 
at  which  his  product  shall  be  sold  is  that  rendered 
on  January  11,  1916,  by  the  United  States  Circuit 
Court  of  Appeals  for  the  Second  Circuit,  in  the  case 
of  Victor  Talking  Machine  Company  vs.  Straus  and 
others  (conducting  a  well-known  New  York  depart- 
ment store,  under  the  name  of  R.  H.  Macy  &  Co.), 
and  generally  referred  to  by  the  trade  as  the  "Macy 
Case." 

The  Macy  Company  had  acquired  a  large  quan- 
tity of  Victor  machines  and  records  and  offered  the 
same  for  sale  at  prices  less  than  those  prescribed  by 
the  Victor  Company  as  royalty  fees  for  the  license 
given  to  use  the  machines  and  records.     The  Victor 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  FEBRUARY,  1916 


15 


Important  Legal  Decisions — Continued 


Company  thereupon  went  before  the  United  States 
District  Court  for  the  Southern  District  of  New 
York  and  sought  an  injunction  to  prevent  the  Macy 
Company  from  selling  or  offering  for  sale  or 
attempting  to  transfer  the  title  to  and  right  of  pos- 
session of  any  of  plaintiff's  goods,  on  the  ground 
that  any  sale  whatever  by  the  defendants  would  be 
an  infringement  of  the  Victor  patents,  since  the 
Victor  Company  had  not  granted  to  any  one  the 
right  to  sell  or  transfer  the  title  to  the  goods.  The 
District  Court  refused  to  grant  an  injunction  on  the 
ground  that  the  Victor  Company  could  not  control 
the  acts  of  the  Macy  Company. 

The  United  States  Circuit  Court  of  Appeals, 
reversing  the  decision  of  the  lower  Court,  now  rules 
that  the  injunction  should  have  been  issued.  Judge 
Lacombe,  who  delivered  the  opinion,  with  Judges 
Coxe  and  Rogers  concurring,  went  exhaustively  into 
he  license  agreement  under  which  the  Victor 
products  are  marketed. 

The  effect  of  this  decision  is  to  uphold  the  Victor 
Company's  license  agreement  system,  under  which 
fixed  and  uniform  prices  for  the  patented  products 
of  this  Company  are  maintained. 


VICTOR  TALKING  MACHINE  COM- 
PANY LOSES  ON  APPEAL  TO 
UNITED  STATES  CIRCUIT 
COURT  OF  APPEALS 

Our  July,  1915,  issue  contained  an  announcement 
to  the  effect  that  on  June  4,  1915,  a  decision  in  our 
favor  was  rendered  by  Judge  Hand,  in  the  patent 
infringement  suit  brought  in  the  United  States 
District  Court  for  the  Southern  District  of  New 
York,  by  the  Victor  Talking  Machine  Company 
against  this  Company  in  April,  1914.  We  now  take 
pleasure  in  notifying  Edison  Phonograph  Jobbers 
and  Dealers  that  on  appeal  from  this  decision  by 
the  Victor  Talking  Machine  Company,  the  United 
States  Circuit  Court  of  Appeals  affirmed  the  finding 
of  the  lower  Court.  In  view  of  the  fact  that  the 
Circuit  Court  of  Appeals  handed  down  no  written 
opinion,  this  Court  apparently  considered  the 
reasons  set  forth  in  the  opinion  of  Judge  Hand  to 
be  correct  and  all  sufficient  for  its  own  conclusions. 


A  LITTLE  OIL,  PLEASE 

PERHAPS  the  commonest  neglect  of  household 
mechanical  devices  is  the  failure  to  oil  occa- 
sionally. This  is  just  as  true  of  the  Amberola 
as  of  the  sewing  machine,  the  vacuum  cleaner  or 
carpet  sweeper. 

In  most  cases  the  outside  of  the  instrument  will 
be  taken  care  of  religiously,  carefully  wiped  and 
dusted.  While  this  is  most  desirable,  surely  more 
important  is  the  keeping  of  the  accurate  mechanism 
in  perfect  running  order.  As  you  know,  this  can- 
not be  done  without  an  occasional  drop  of  oil. 

Just  how  to  get  the  owners  to  see  that  their 
instruments  are  kept  properly  oiled  has  always  been 
lore  or  less  of  a  problem,  for  the  average  per- 
son, especially  a  woman,  little  realizes  the  vital 
importance  of  lubrication. 

We  feel  that  if  the  dollars  and  cents  side  of  the 
matter  were  properly  impressed  on  their  minds  they 
would  pay  more  attention  to  lubrication.  It  is 
cheaper  to  use  up  cents  worth  of  oil  than  to  wear 
out  a  dollars  worth  of  mechanism. 

Perhaps  the  following  suggestion  will  help  you 
keep  your  customers  reminded  of  the  lubrication 
matter: 

When  you  sell  an  instrument  you  of  course  keep 
some  record  of  the  sale.  When  you  make  your 
record  suppose  you  jot  down  a  date,  perhaps  in 
red  ink,  when  you  figure  the  instrument  should  need 
oiling  (this  would  work  best  if  you  keep  a  card 
record)  and  on  that  date  call  on  the  customer  and 
clean  up  and  oil  the  instrument,  not  forgetting  to 
have  with  you  several  of  the  latest  records  to  play, 
for  in  this  way  many  record  sales  can  be  made  and 
names  of  prospective  customers  picked  up.  Service 
is  a  much  overworked  word,  but  this  is  real  service, 
to   your    customer    and    to    yourself.      While    doing 


your  customer  a  good  turn  you  are  taking  advan- 
tage of  an  excellent  opportunity  to  increase  your 
sales.  From  your  standpoint  this  is  not  merely 
mechanical  service,  it  is  selling  service  of  the  best 
kind. 

Another  way  to  handle  this  question,  though  not 
as  effective  from  your  standpoint,  would  be  to  mail, 
on  the  date  recorded,  a  post  card  neatly  type  or 
hand  written,  saying  something  like  this:  "Time  to 
oil  your  Amberola  if  you  have  not  already  done  so. 
If  you  have,  did  you  remember  to  (mention  all 
parts  to  oil)  ?  Remember,  cents  worth  of  oil  means 
dollars  worth  of  mechanism  saved.  But  be  sure 
you  use  the  right  kind  of  oil  and  just  a  few  drops 
of  that.  Too  much  is  almost  as  bad  as  not  enough, 
for  it  is  apt  to  gum  and  collect  dust." 


WANTED:    SOME  REQUESTS  FOR 
INFORMATION 

A  valuable  department  in  the  Phonograph 
Monthly  would  be  one  that  treated  the  mechanical 
troubles  that  worry  dealers.  The  Edison  products 
are  about  as  near  right  as  they  can  be,  but  things 
will  happen.  We  want  an  opportunity  to  straighten 
them  out  when  they  do  occur,  and  we  would  like 
to  get  from  six  to  ten  letters  within  the  next  two 
weeks,  concerning  mechanical  troubles.  If  we  get 
them  we  will  make  our  mechanical  experts  work. 
It  will  serve  them  right  if  they  have  to.  They 
should  have  made  things  right  in  the  first  place, 
and  not  cause  the  Sales  and  Advertising  Depart- 
ments to  sell  goods  that  may  get  out  of  order. 
Address  all  such  letters  to  the  Editor  of  the  Phono- 
graph Monthly.  Otherwise  the  mechanical  people 
might  get  them,  and  if  we  didn't  know  they  were 
written  we  couldn't  make  them  come  through  with 
the  necessary  information. 


Jobbers  of  Edison  Amberola  Phonographs 

and  Blue 

Amberol  Records 

ALABAMA 

NEW  JERSEY 

Birmingham — Talking  Machine  Co. 

Paterson — James  K.  O'Dea. 

Mobile — W.  H.  Reynalds. 

NEW  YORK 

CALIFORNIA 

Albany — American  Phonograph  Co. 

Los  Angeles — Southern  California  Music  Co. 

Finch  &  Hahn. 

San  Francisco — Pacific  Phonograph  Co. 

Buffalo — W.  D.  Andrews. 

Neal,  Clark  &  Neal  Co. 

COLORADO 

Elmira — Elmira  Arm  Co. 

Denver — Denver  Dry  Goods  Co. 
Hext  Music  Co. 

New  York  City — I.  Davega,  Jr.,  Inc. 

J.  F.  Blackman  &  Son. 
S.  B.  Davega  Co. 

The  Phonograph  Corporation  of 

CONNECTICUT 

Manhattan. 

New  Haven — Pardee-Ellenberger  Co. 

Rochester — Talking  Machine  Co. 

Syracuse — Frank  E.  Bolway  &  Son. 

GEORGIA 

W.  D.  Andrews  Co. 
Utica — Arthur  F.  Ferriss. 

Atlanta — Atlanta  Phonograph  Co. 

William  Harrison. 

Waycross — Youmans  Jewelry  Co. 

OHIO 

ILLINOIS 

Cincinnati — The  Phonograph  Co. 

Chicago — Babson  Bros. 

Cleveland — The  Phonograph  Co. 

James  I.  Lyons. 

The  Phonograph  Co. 

OREGON 

Peoria — Peoria  Phonograph  Co. 

Portland — Pacific  Phonograph  Co. 

Quincy — Quincy  Phonograph  Co. 

PENNSYLVANIA 

INDIANA 

Philadelphia — Girard  Phonograph  Co. 

Indianapolis — Kipp-Link  Phonograph  Co. 

Pittsburgh — Buehn  Phonograph  Co. 

Scranton — Ackerman  &  Co. 

IOWA 

Williamsport — W.  A.  Myers. 

Des  Moines — Harger  &  Blish. 

Sioux  City — Harger  &  Blish. 

RHODE  ISLAND 

Providence — J.  A.  Foster  Co. 

LOUISIANA 

New  Orleans — Diamond  Music  Co.,  Inc. 

TEXAS 

Dallas — Texas-Oklahoma  Phonograph  Co. 

MAINE 

El  Paso — El  Paso  Phonograph  Co.,  Inc. 

Bangor — Chandler  &  Co. 

UTAH 

MARYLAND 

Ogden — Proudfit  Sporting  Goods  Co. 

Baltimore — E.  F.  Droop  &  Sons  Co. 

Salt  Lake  City — Consolidated  Music  Co. 

MASSACHUSETTS 

VERMONT 

Boston — Iver-Johnson  Sporting  Goods  Co. 
Pardee-Ellenberger  Co. 

Burlington — American  Phonograph  Co. 

Lowell — Thomas  Wardell. 

VIRGINIA 

MICHIGAN 

Richmond — C.  B.  Haynes  &  Co. 

Detroit — Phonograph  Co.  of  Detroit. 

WASHINGTON 

MINNESOTA 

Seattle — Pacific  Phonograph  Co.,  N.  W. 

Minneapolis — Laurence  H.  Lucker. 

Spokane — Pacific  Phonograph  Co.,  N.  W. 

St.  Paul— W.  J.  Dyer  &  Bro. 

WISCONSIN 

MISSOURI 

Milwaukee — The  Phonograph  Co.,  of  Milwaukee. 

Kansas  City — Phonograph  Co.  of  Kansas  City. 

Schmelzer  Arms  Co. 

CANADA 

St.  Louis — Silverstone  Music  Co. 

Calgary — R.  S.  Williams  &  Sons  Co.,  Ltd. 

MONTANA 

Montreal — R.  S.  Williams  &  Sons  Co.,  Ltd. 

St.  John— W.  H.  Thorne  &  Co.,  Ltd. 

Helena — Montana  Phonograph  Co. 

Toronto — R.  S.  Williams  &  Sons  Co.,  Ltd. 

Vancouver — Kent  Piano  Co.,  Ltd. 

NEBRASKA 

Winnipeg — Babson  Bros. 

Omaha — Shultz  Bros. 

R.  S.  Williams  &  Sons  Co.,  Ltd. 

m*  EDISON 

PHONOGRAPH 
MONTHLY 


VOL.    XIV 


MARCH,  1916 


NO.  3 


JULIA  HEINRIGH,  NEW  AMBEROL  ARTIST  (See  page  16) 


THE    EDISON 
PHONOGRAPH      MONTHLY 

Published  in  the  interest  of 

EDISON  AMBEROLA  PHONOGRAPHS  AND  BLUE  AMBEROL  RECORDS 

By  THOMAS  A.  EDISON,  Inc. 
ORANGE,  N.  J.,  U.  S.  A. 

THOMAS  A.  EDISON,  LTD.,   164  WARDOUR  ST.,  LONDON,  W.  ENGLAND 

THOMAS  A.  EDISON,  LTD..  364-372  KENT  STREET,  SYDNEY,  N.  S.  W. 

COMPANIA  EDISON  HISPANO-AMERICANA,  FLORIDA  635,  BUENOS  AIRES 

EDISON  GESELLSCHAFT,  M.  B.  H.  3  YORKSTRASSE,  BERLIN 

COMPAGNIE  FRANCAISE  THOMAS  A.  EDISON,  59  RUE  DES  PETITES-ECURIES,  PARIS 

Volume  XIV  MARCH,  1916  Number  3 

JACKING  UP  RECORD  SERVICE 

Those  information  blanks  inserted  in  our  December  number  were  the  means  of  bringing 
to  our  attention  some  interesting  facts,  not  the  least  among  which  was  that  quite  a  number  of 
our  Amberol  dealers  have  recently  been  unable  to  have  their  record  orders  completely  and 
promptly  filled  by  their  jobbers. 

Some  of  the  jobbers  have  come  back  at  the  factory  and  said  the  reason  they  could  not  fill 
dealers  orders  100%  was  that  they  could  not  get  their  orders  filled  100%. 

At  this  writing  we  have  not  completely  determined  where  the  fault  lies.  It  may  be  entirely 
with  the  jobber  or  it  may  be  entirely  with  the  factory,  or  both  may  be  to  blame. 

Then,  again,  dealers  should  keep  in  mind  the  fact  that  in  many  sections  of  the  country 
prosperity  reigns  as  it  has  not  before  in  years.  The  people  in  these  sections  are  putting  some 
of  their  surplus  earnings  into  phonographs  and  records.  This  unusual  demand  may  be  partly 
responsible  for  the  shortage  of  certain  records  in  other  parts  of  the  country. 

However,  what  you  are  interested  in  is  what  is  going  to  be  done  about  it. 

We  want  every  Edison  Amberola  dealer  to  know  that  whoever  or  whatever  is  responsible 
we  are  sifting  the  matter  to  the  bottom  and  promise  that  the  fault  will  be  found  and  remedied 
without  delay. 

By  the  way,  speaking  of  prosperity,  are  you  getting  all  the  business  you  could  from  people 
in  your  community  who  are  spending  more  money  now  for  what  they  consider  luxuries  than 
ever  before?  It  would  require  very  little  trouble  for  you  to  find  out  who  these  families  are 
and  suggest  to  them  that  one  of  the  most  desirable  investments  they  could  make  would  be  a 
Diamond  Amberola,  an  investment  that  would  pay  dividends  in  making  a  brighter  home  and  a 
happier  family. 

Then,  there  are  most  likely  many  owners  of  Amberolas  who  are  in  a  position  to  make 
generous  additions  to  their  collection  of  Amberol  records,  owners  who  may  have  been  sluggish 
in  their  buying  for  some  time  past  and  who  are  now  ready  to  respond  to  a  little  coaxing. 

Try  a  few  letters  to  get  after  this  trade,  but  don't  stop  at  one  or  two.  Try  three  at  least 
on  the  same  principle  that  you  would  not  drop  an  Amberola  prospect  after  only  one  or 
two  attempts  to  get  him  to  the  point  of  purchasing. 

You  get  after  all  the  record  business  you  can.  Work  every  sales  possibility  to  the  limit 
and  we  will  see  that  you  are  supplied  with  all  the  records  you  need  to  meet  the  demand  a 
vigorous  record  campaign  would  stir  up.  Then,  you  know  how  Blue  Amberol  records  have 
improved. 

Here  you  have  a  combination  to  stimulate  your  selling  efforts — improved  records,  better 
service  and  increased  buying  capacity  of  the  general  public. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  MARCH,  1916 


Within  the  Edison  Gate 


THE    VOICE    BEHIND    THE 
PARTITION 

SCARCELY  a  day  passes  at  the  Orange  labora- 
tories but  witnesses  an  unconscious,  but  never- 
theless a  true,  compliment  to  the  faithfulness  of 
tone  in  the  Edison  Diamond  Amberolas  and  records. 

With  the  name  of  Mr.  Edison  and  his  inventive 
exploits  broadcast,  there  are  naturally  many  visitors 
to  the  different  buildings.  Practically  all  of  the 
visitors  think  that  the  actual  recording  is  done  at 
Grange,  while,  of  course,  it  is  carried  on  in  the 
recording  rooms  in  New  York  City. 

The  office  of  Manager  Leeming  is  just  within  the 
door  of  the  Administration  building;.  The  partition 
separating  it  from  the  hall  does  not  go  to  the  ceiling, 
and  a  voice  loud  enoueh  could  be  quite  plainly 
heard  in  the  hall. 

It  is  the  custom  of  Mr.  Leeming  to  try  out  the 
new  Amberolas  and  new  records  in  his  office. 
Time  and  time  again  the  poor  guide  has  a  hard 
time  convincing  the  visitors  that  they  are  not  listen- 
ing to  the  voice  of  a  person  singing  and  making  a 
record.  Not  many  callers  believe  the  guide's  state- 
ment. They  think  it  a  ruse  to  "cheat"  them  out  of 
seeing  the  most  interesting  phase  of  the  place. 

One  aggressive  feminine  visitor  recently  got  so 
worked  up  over  the  guide's  "refusal  and  flimsy  ex- 
cuse" for  not  letting  her  go  in  and  hear  tire  "singer" 
that  she  tried  to  have  the  guide  dismissed.  She 
just  knew  there  was  a  woman  singing  in  there. 
She  guessed  she  knew  music  well  enough  not  to  be 
fooled  by  being  told  that  it  was  only  a  record 
playing.     So  there ! 

None  may  be  so  blind  as  those  who  will  not 
see.  But  next  to  this  is  the  actual  closing  of  the 
ieyes,  when  any  kind  of  a  test  is  going  on.  Only 
that  method  can  make  the  hearer  realize,  when  a 
singer  is  alternating  with  the  record,  the  wonder  of 
tone  faithfulness  in  the  Edison. 


BIG  JUMP   IN   BLUE  AMBEROL 

SALES 

Here's  the  kind  of  news  that  makes  the  live  wire 
chuckle  with  glee  and  puts  the  dead  one  to  shame. 
It  came  to  the  Editor  from  the  Sales  Department 
and  it  said: 

"We  want  you  to  know  that  Blue  Amberol  Rec- 
ord Sales  for  the  last  6  months  of  1915  were 
over  25%  greater  than  the  last  6  months  of 
1914." 

Now,  how  about  the  croaker  that  thinks  more  of 
disc  competition  than  he  does  of  getting  out  and 
hustling  for  business  that's  just  waiting  to  succumb 
to  a   little  persuasion. 


THE  JOBBERS'  CONVENTION 
VISITORS  OF  THE  MONTH 

We  think  the  jobbers  learned  a  few  things  at 
the  1916  Convention  in  New  York  and  at  the  factory 
that  will  enthuse  them  to  make  this  year  the  most 
productive  in  the  history  of  the  entire  Edison 
organization. 

Tuesday,  February  15th,  was  taken  up  with 
executive  business  at  the  Hotel  Knickerbocker,  New 
York,  when  President  W.  O.  Pardee,  of  Pardee- 
Ellenberger  Co.,  New  Haven,  Conn.;  Vice  Presi- 
dent B.  W.  Smith,  of  The  Phonograph  Company, 
Cleveland,  O. ;  Secretary  H.  G.  Stanton,  of  the  R. 
S.  Williams  &  Sons  Co.,  Toronto,  Canada;  Treas- 
urer L.  H.  Lucker,  of  Minneapolis,  Minn.,  were  all 
re-elected.  Tuesday  afternoon  C.  H.  Wilson,  Vice- 
President  of  Thomas  A.  Edison,  Inc.,  made  an 
address,  and  William  Maxwell,  Second  Vice-Presi- 
dent and  Manager  of  the  Musical  Phonograph 
Division,  read  a  paper  outlining  the  policies  of  the 
company  for  the  ensuing  year. 

Tuesday  evening  the  attending  jobbers  met  a 
party  of  representatives  from  the  factory  at 
Sherry's,  New  York,  where  a  splendid  banquet  was 
enjoyed.  After  the  banquet  all  hands  adjourned 
to  the  Hippodrome. 

Practically  all  day  Wednesday  was  spent  in  a 
session  at  Charles  Edison's  Little  Thimble  Theatre, 
10  Fifth  avenue,  in  New  York,  where  addresses 
were  made  by  the  heads  of  various  departments  on 
subjects  vital  to  the  interests  of  all  members  of  the 
phonograph  fraternity.  Among  the  subjects  were: 
Factory  Fallacies,  by  A.  C.  Ireton,  General  Sales 
Manager;  Probationary  Zones  for  Dealers,  by  T. 
J.  Leonard,  Assistant  General  Sales  Manager; 
Cruelty  to  Motors,  by  John  Constable,  Assistant 
Chief  Engineer;  Artists,  by  W.  H.  Miller,  Manager 
of  Recording  Department;  Infringements,  Delos 
Holden,  General  Counsel ;  Advertising,  by  L.  C. 
McChesney,  Advertising  Manager;  Traffic,  by  J. 
R.  Rogers,  General  Traffic  Manager. 

The  program  at  the  Little  Thimble  Theatre  also 
included  a  tone  test  recital  and  a  sales  demon- 
stration. 

Thursday,  February  17th,  the  jobbers  made  a  trip 
out  to  the  factory,  where  they  spent  an  all  around 
enjoyable  and  instructive  day. 

In  addition  to  the  convention  representatives  we 
had  the  pleasure  of  playing  host  to  the  following 
visitors  the  past  month:  P.  H.  Seewald,  Edison 
dealer  at  Amarillo,  Texas;  A.  C.  Moore,  Manager 
of  the  Phonograph  Department  of  The  Pelletier 
Company,  Sioux  City,  Iowa;  Wallace  E.  Brown, 
Detroit;  H.  T.  Veith  and  John  Dorn,  of  West  New 
York,  N.  J.;  John  Albertshardt,  of  Tipton,  Ind. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  MARCH,  1916 


Doings  of  the  Dealers 


DEALERS      DOUBLE     AMBEROLA 

BUSINESS  IN     COURSE     OF 

SINGLE  YEAR 

IS  the  Edison  Amberola  and  Blue  Amberol  record 
business  decreasing,  just  holding  its  own,  or 
increasing? 

Here  is  a  question  that  is  very  pertinent  to  Edison 
Amberol  dealers  the  country  over  and  in  order  to 
answer  it  we  made  a  careful  canvass  of  the  infor- 
mation blanks  that  were  returned  to  us  by  our 
dealers  who  complied  with  the  request  that  we 
made  in  the  December  issue  of  The  Phonograph 
Monthly. 

It  must  be  considered  that  only  a  very  few  of 
those  who  made  returns  were  able  to  give  us  any 
estimate  of  their  sales  and  receipts  for  the  years  of 
1914  and  1915.  The  great  majority  of  the  dealers 
had  not  kept  their  phonograph  and  record  sales 
statistics  separate  from  their  other  departments  and 
were  unable  to  give  even  an  approximate  compari- 
son of  the  amount  of  Edison  business  that  they 
transacted  in  the  two  years.  So  there  were  only  a 
comparatively  few  blanks  that  we  could  use  in 
attempting  to  determine  the  trend  of  the  cylinder 
business  in  the  past  year.  We  found,  however,  that 
there  were  many  instances  in  which  the  business  of 
our  dealers  had  increased  and  in  some  instances  the 
blanks  showed  that  the  business  in  this  line  was 
double,  or  more  than  double,  the  business  done 
during  the  previous  year.  This  seems  to  prove  that 
it  is  possible  not  only  to  maintain  the  cylinder 
business  up  to  any  standard  it  may  have  reached 
in  the  past,  but  to  increase  it  largely. 


HOW  ABOUT  MAIL  ORDER 
COMPETITION? 

Don't  be  afraid  of  mail  order  house  competition 
offering  other  makes  of  machines  than  Edison,  no 
matter  at  what  price,  or  what  size  town  you  do 
business  in.  This  little  inside  story  of  how  some 
of  the  talking  machine  deals  go  through,  with  mail 
order  houses,  should  be  read  and  digested  by  every 
Edison  Amberola  dealer,  especially  if  they  ever  feel 
half-hearted  at  the  thought  of  such  competition. 

The  skeleton  of  the  story  is  in  the  current  trade 
papers,  but  not  what  it  may  mean  to  you.  A  large 
mail  order  house  approached  a  rather  new  talking 
machine  company,  offering  them  a  most  tempting 
order.  It  meant  a  great  deal  to  a  new  house  to  get 
it.  But  the  price!  Ten  dollars  apiece!  What  were 
the  mail  house  people  going  to  sell  them  for?  Well, 
that  really  did  not,  should  not,  enter  into  this  end 
of  the  business  deal,  you  know,  but  they  were  to  sell 


for  thirty-seven  dollars  apiece  what  they  paid  ten 
dollars  for.  The  deal  failed  in  this  particular 
instance. 

Looking  at  it  from  the  customer-buying  end  of 
the  horn  how  much  of  thirty-seven  dollars'  worth  of 
value  could  a  manufacturer  put  into  a  machine  sell- 
ing for  ten  dollars,  not  to  speak  of  the  squeak  of  a 
tone  all  its  own?  And  yet  some  talk  mail  order 
"competition." 

The  real  salesman,  when  he  has  a  proposition  so 
readily  apparent  and  provable  as  Edison  superior- 
ity, just  delights  in  competition.  It  adds  zest  to  the 
race  and  makes  the  sale  the  more  quickly.  The 
actual  tone  of  the  Amberola  has  more  salesmanship 
than  any  salesman.  Once  heard — especially  in  com- 
petition— it  proves  itself,  speaks  volumes  for  itself  in 
its  own  unanswerable  way. 


A  CONTEST  TO  PROFIT  BY 

MR.  W.  D.  WILMOT,  who  has  the  Edison 
agency  in  Fall  River,  Mass.,  realizes  what 
it  is  worth  to  him  to  get  an  Edison  Phono- 
graph into  the  public  schools,  and  conducted  an 
interesting  contest  in  connection  with  it  that  can 
be  followed  with  profit  by  other  dealers. 

He  arranged  with  a  local  newspaper  to  carry 
a  coupon,  which  was  to  be  clipped  and  used  for  a 
vote.  Each  school  strove  to  secure  the  most  votes. 
The  one  who  did  come  out  on  top  of  the  vote  pile 
was  to  get  an  Edison  Phonograph. 

Naturally  the  newspaper  was  glad  to  enter  into 
this,  as  it  meant  the  selling  of  more  newspapers. 

Mr.  Wilmot  gave  a  $250  Diamond  Disc  to  the 
winning  school.  This  plan  can  be  applied,  how- 
ever, to  the  Edison  Diamond  Amberola.  In  fact, 
it  is  capable  of  more  general  application,  because 
but  few  dealers  likely  would  feel  that  they  could 
give  away  so  expensive  a  machine  as  a  Diamond 
Disc  for  advertising  purposes. 

Great  interest  was  stirred  up  among  Fall  River 
children  over  the  contest.  As  parents  do,  they  took 
as  much  interest  in  their  children's  interest  as  the 
children  themselves.  Everybody  in  town  was  talk- 
ing about  Wilmot's  generosity.  Where  could  so 
fine  advertising  be  secured  for  any  price? 

The  day  of  the  contest's  close  came.  Also  came 
a  surprise  that  put  "punch"  into  a  fine  idea  and 
showed  what  a  far-seeing  merchant  is  Mr.  Wilmot. 
He  had  announced  but  one  prize.  But  he  thought 
that  he  had  profited  so  much  by  the  publicity  he 
could  afford  to  be  extra  generous.  To  the  public 
he  stated  that  they  had  taken  so  spirited  an  interest 
that  he  wished  to  show  his  appreciation.     He  gave 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  MARCH,  1916 


Doings  of  the  Dealers — Continued 


the  second  highest  school  a  $100  instrument  and  the 
third  in  the  contest  fifty  dollars'  worth  of  records. 
This  school  already  had  an  Edison  instrument. 
This  announcement  made  Wilmot  the  biggest  man 
in  town — the  man  of  the  hour — not  so  much  because 
of  the  amounts  given,  which  were  generous  indeed, 
but  from  the  very  unexpectedness  of  the  gifts. 

It  is  the  idea  behind  this  contest  that  is  of  value 
to  other  dealers.  The  price,  or  the  number  of 
instruments,  is  another  matter  which  can  be  con- 
sidered   later. 

You  can  hold  a  contest  and  give  whatever  price 
of  instrument  that  you  think  the  effort  and  the 
results  are  worth  to  you,  although  it  is  a  difficult 
and  delicate  task  to  judge,  before  a  contest  is 
started,  the  benefits  to  accrue  to  you  in  sales. 

You  could  hold,  say,  a  contest  for  the  most 
popular  teacher  if  there  is  but  one  good  sized  school 
in  town.  But  if  there  are  a  sufficient  number  of 
schools  to  hold  the  contest  between  them,  the 
teacher  idea  would  likely  not  cause  so  much  interest 
as  a  school  contest,  for  a  teacher  would  not  be 
known  to  so  large  a  number  nor  have  so  many 
interested  in  her  winning  as  to  work  as  a  vote 
getter.  Every  pupil  attending  a  school,  when 
schools  are  matched  against  one  another,  is  a  loyal 
worker.  Then,  again,  a  contest  could  be  held  for 
the  most  popular  principal,  but,  unless  all  principals 
are  unusually  popular,  they  likely,  too,  would  not 
stir  the  interest  like  the  school  idea,  for  the  same 
reasons  applying  to  the  teacher  scheme. 

Consider  the  several  applications  of  this  contest 
idea  and  the  greatest  possible  number  who  might 
get  behind  the  different  contests,  to  work  for  each, 
and  you  will  have  a  better  realization  of  how  splen- 
did a  plan  Wilmot's  school  contest  idea  is. 


THEY  HAVE  THEIR  TROUBLES— 
BUT  THEY'RE  SELLING 

Those  dealers  who  make  as  an  excuse  for  their 
not  making  sales  that  "It  is  hard  times,"  should  find 
food  for  thought  in  the  recent  trade  report  from 
England.  There,  in  a  country  which  is  racked 
with  war,  its  consequent  drain  upon  the  public 
moneys  and  its  stringency,  where  the  terrible  seri- 
ousness of  their  lives  at  present  is  every  day  before 
them,  more  musical  instruments  are  being  sold  than 
in  music  history.  They  find  that  the  British  work- 
men are  investing  their  savings  in  pianos  and 
phonographs.  Music  in  the  home  has  made  their 
homes  more  attractive,  they  have  found.  Life  con- 
tains more  for  them,  is  brighter.  It  refreshes  them 
so  that  they  return  in  better  spirits  for  their  next 
day's  labor.     If  phonographs  can  be  sold  so  readily 


and  in  such  number  in  a  country 
about  this  fortunate  counti 


afflicted,   h( 


NEW  USES  FOR  PHONOGRAPHS- 
SOME  SALES  HINTS 

The  many  applications  of  the  Edison  phonograph 
are  interestingly  shown  in  the  recent  installation 
of  Edison  Phonographs  in  the  Edison  Motion  Pic- 
ture studio  at  Belford  Park,  New  York  City,  as  an 
aid  to  acting. 

The  direct  and  immediate  effect  of  music  on  the 
emotions,  especially  "emotional"  music,  has  long 
been  known  to  psychologists.  The  directors,  as 
the  stage  directors  are  known  in  motion  pictures, 
are  just  waking  up  to  the  power  of  music.  The 
director's  task  is  to  see  that  the  actor's  feelings 
and  thoughts  are  so  expressed  that,  without  words, 
the  audience  will  "get"  them  vividly.  The  exac- 
tions of  the  picture  screen  call  for  the  highest 
form  of  realistic  acting.  This  search  for  the  real 
feeling  has  brought  forth,  in  the  Edison  studio,  this 
reliance  upon  the  Edison  phonograph  as  an  emo- 
tional excitant. 

This  incident  suggests  several  things  to  the 
thoughtful  dealer.  Inasmuch  as  all  sales  are  made 
by  our  producing  a  certain  effect  in  the  prospect, 
the  choice  of  the  selections  to  be  played  to  a  pros- 
pect is  an  all  important  thing.  Just  because  your 
prospect  may  profess  a  liking  for  dance  music  only, 
do  not  hesitate  to  play  at  least  one  record  which  is 
deeper  in  feeling,  for  it  is  quite  likely  that  the 
prospect  can  be  more  deeply  stirred  by  playing  one 
of  such  records  than  many  dance  records  or  light 
popular  records  which  appeal  only  to  a  passing 
fancy.  Remember,  too,  that  many  who  are  sensi- 
tively fine  in  feeling  are  seemingly  so  afraid  of 
showing  it  for  fear  of  showing  too  much  that  they 
assume  a  mask  of  no  sentiment  at  all.  This  type 
can  be  influenced  to  a  sale  more  often  by  the  choice 
of  music  of  feeling  than  you  could  ever  guess. 
Watching  your  prospect  while  you  play  such  a 
record  will  often  tell  you  much,  in  the  more 
absorbed   attention   and  the   expression   of  the  face. 

If  there  is  one  or  more  of  the  smaller  motion 
picture  theatres  in  your  town  you  could  approach 
the  manager  with  the  proposition  to  put  a  Diamond 
Amberola  in  his  theatre  to  bring  out  the  full  dra- 
matic value  of  his  pictures.  If  music  from  an 
Edison  phonograph  can  produce  the  thrill  and 
emotional  feeling  in  the  player  who  acts  the  part, 
then  it  certainly  can  produce  the  desired  effect  in 
the  more  susceptible  persons  constituting  the 
audience.  Then,  again,  a  proper  selection  of 
records,  with  an  Amberola,  is  much  less  expensive 
than  the  salary-every-week  piano  player.  Anybody 
could  operate  the  phonograph  while  the  pictures  are 
being  run. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  MARCH,  1916 


Doings  of  the  Dealers — Continued 


MORE  NEW  DEALERS 

In  our  February  issue  we  gave  a  list  of  dealers 
who  had  taken  on  the  Amberol  line  since  the  first 
of  the  year.    To  that  list  we  now  add  the  following: 

NEW  DEALERS— AMBEROL  ONLY 

Austin's  Pharmacy,  Main  Street,  Tupper  Lake, 
New   York. 

Grenfell  Milling  &  Elevator  Co.,  Summerberry, 
Sask.,  Canada. 

W.  F.  Rea,  Watson,  Sask.,  Canada. 

W.  M.  Thomas,  Bowden,  North  Dakota. 

E.  T.  Hardham,  Oak  River,  Man.,  Canada. 

H.  B.  Wiebe,  Altoona,   Man.,   Canada. 

W.  J.  Van  Doren,  Goodwater,  Sask.,  Canada. 

NEW  DEALERS— AMBEROL  AND  DISC 

Kingsport  Stores,  Inc.,  Kingsport,  Tenn. 

E.  B.  Pohle,  Dexter,  Iowa. 

Stephen's  Art  Store,  Quaker  City,  Ohio. 

Veith  &  Dorn,  630  Bergenline  Avenue,  West  New 
York,  New  Jersey. 

Smith's  Music  Store,  702  Market  Street,  Parkers - 
burg,  W.  Va. 

The  Edison  Shop,  Pardee-Ellenberger,  New 
Haven,  Conn.;  964  Chapel  Street,  New  Haven, 
Conn. 

Elmer  Johnston,  120  Third  Street,  Baraboo,  Wis- 
consin. 

PREVIOUS  DISC  DEALERS  TAKING  ON 
AMBEROL 

J.  H.  Ward,  28  West  Fifth  Avenue,  Cary,  Ind. 

Merton  J.  Coats,  516  Main  Street,  Little  Falls, 
New  York. 

Blood  &  Cook,  147  No.  James  Street,  Rome,  New 
York. 

George  E.  Conant,  Gladbrook,  Iowa. 

Stephens  Art  Store,  23  5  E.  Main  Street,  Barnes- 
ville,  Ohio. 

Nye-Ritchie  Dept.  Store,  24  Market  Street,  Pots- 
dam, New  York. 

Keir  &  Cass,  Hood  River,  Oregon. 

George  J.  Koberstein,   Baldwin,   Wisconsin. 


TRAVELING  AMBEROLA  SHOP 
DOES  GOOD  BUSINESS 

ISN'T  there  a  saying  that  "To  Start  Things 
Coming  Your  Way,  Go  After  Them?"  How 
true  this  is,  all  who  have  tried  know.  We  have 
in  mind  right  now  our  Lake  City,  la.,  dealer, 
Charles  Bawden,  who  does  not  wait  for  people  to 
come  into  his  store,  but  loads  up  his  wagon  with  six 
or  seven  machines  and  a  complete  stock  of  records, 
then  goes  out  into  the  highways  and  byways  and 
creates  business. 

In  the  first  place  his  unique  outfit  attracts  atten- 
tion wherever  he  goes,  and  instead  of  waiting  until 
someone  requests  him  to  send  up  a  phonograph  for 


trial,  he  goes  right  to  house  after  house  with  his 
machines.  This,  of  course,  makes  it  much  easier  for 
him  to  secure  a  trial,  for  it  is  only  a  matter  of  a 
few  minutes  to  take  a  phonograph  from  his  wagon 
and  carry  it  into  the  house.  The  housewife  feels 
under  less  obligation,  for  she  knows  he  hasn't  made 
a  special  trip  just  to  bring  out  her  phonograph. 
Another  advantage  is  that,  after  talking  the  pros- 
pect into  a  trial,  she  hasn't  a  chance  to  cool  off  and 
change  her  mind.  Having  the  machine  right  there 
brings  her  to  a  point  of  decision  more  quickly  than 
at  a  store. 

Another  feature  Mr.  Bawden  finds  an  advantage 
is  that  those  with  whom  he  leaves  machines  fre- 
quently give  him  the  names  of  neighbors  on  whom 
he  may  call  and  make  a  demonstration  at  once, 
thus  saving  valuable  time.  Then  the  lady  of  the 
house  where  he  is  making  the  demonstration  will 
frequently  call  in  friends  to  hear  the  records 
with  her. 

It's  human  nature  to  procrastinate,  to  put  off  from 
day  to  day.  You  know  how  hard  it  is  to  get  any- 
one to  come  in  for  a  demonstration  even  after  they 
have  promised.  But  if  you  take  the  demonstration 
to  them  you  don't  have  to  wait,  and  the  prospect 
will  feel  better  pleased  once  she  permits  you  to  put 
the  instrument  in  and  hear  it  right  in  the  very  room 
where  she  would  use  it. 

Now,  we  don't  want  to  give  you  the  impression 
that  Dealer  Bawden  gets  only  trials  when  he  goes 
out.  Not  at  all.  He  gets  real  business  and  plenty 
of  it,  especially  in  new  records.  The  best  evidence 
of  this  is  the  fact  that  he  has  been  at  this  work 
nine  years,  has  enjoyed  a  comfortable  business  in 
that  time  and  is  still  going  strong. 


If  a  dealer  in  a  city  of  100,000  places  an  initial 
order  for  12  Amberolas,  shortly  follows  this  with  a 
second  order  for  20  Amberolas,  and  then  places  a 
standing  order  with  his  jobber  for  deliveries  of  10 
Amberola  30's  weekly,  what  is  the  sign?  It  meant 
a  successful  combination.  An  energetic  dealer  and 
the  Amberola  line. 


A  set  of  old  style  Concert  Phonograph  spring 
barrels  was  recently  returned  to  the  factory  by  A. 
M.  Neill,  Hatboro,  Pa.,  after  16  years  of  service 
because  the  springs  had  become  relaxed.  How  is 
this  for  an  example  of  the  mechanical  excellence  of 
the  Edison  Phonograph?  Furthermore,  Mr.  Neill 
did  not  send  the  springs  back  as  a  curiosity,  but 
because  he  wanted  them  renewed. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  MARCH,  1916 


Doings  of  the  Dealers — Continued 


FEATURING  THE  CYLINDER  LINE 
IN  LONDON,  ONTARIO 

WE   give    above   the    interior   view    of   Edison 
Cylinder    demonstration    and    salesroom    of 
W.  McPhillips,  189  Dundas  Street,  London, 
Ontario.      Special    attention    is    called    to    the    Blue 
Amberol  rack  on  the  left,   and  the  series  of  large 


drawers  on  the  right.  Mr.  McPhillips  is  an  enthu- 
siastic Edison  Cylinder  man  and  enjoys  a  lucrative 
trade  in  instruments  and  records.  He  carries  a 
large  stock  of  Blue  Amberol  records  and  has  these 
so  systematically  available  in  the  rack  as  well  as 
the  drawers  that  a  customer  is  never  kept  waiting. 
One  of  Mr.  McPhillips'  strong  points  (which  other 
Cylinder  dealers  would  do  well  to  copy)  is  his 
intimate  knowledge  of  the  Blue  Amberol  records. 
He  makes  it  his  important  duty  to  know  the  records 
thoroughly  and  to  have  ready  their  chief  talking 
points.  That's  the  secret  of  his  Diamond  Amberola 
business. 


IS  YOUR  SHOW  WINDOW  LIFELESS? 

DON'T  forget  that  your  show  window  is  a 
"silent  salesman"  that  can  be  mighty  elo- 
quent if  the  talking  points  are  properly  pic- 
turized,  so  to  speak.  Don't  forget  that  this  silent 
salesman  is  working  almost  all  the  time  on  a 
greater  number  of  prospects  than  your  best  sales- 
man could  get  into  a  store.  Therefore,  spend  your 
best  thought  on  the  show  window,  for  many  judge 
the  inner  store,  like  the  inner  man,  by  the  outward 
show. 

Remember  that   one   of  the   greatest — if   not   the 
greatest — talking    points    for    the    Edison    Diamond 


Amberola  is  what  it  adds  to  the  home  life,  in  better 
and  brighter  cheer,  untiring  pleasure  and  recreation. 
Take  this  feature  and  make  the  most  of  it  in  your 
window  display. 

Above  all,  don't  let  your  window  display  of 
Amberolas  be  a  "lifeless"  window.  Even  with  ex- 
perienced window  trimmers  this  fault  can  be  found. 
They  make  their  displays  too  stiff,  too  lifeless — 
holding  too  little  of  the  suggestion  of  the  ease  of 
home  life.  To  set  a  machine  at  just  such  a  square 
angle,  so  many  records  there  at  such  an  angle  and 
so  many  records  here,  is  to  suggest  that  a  carpenter 
with  a  square  had  laid  it  all  out. 

Even  if  you  have  a  small  window  space,  try  to 
get  into  it  something  of  the  atmosphere  of  a  "homey" 
home.  Of  course,  you  might  say  that  you  have  seen 
homes  where  everything  was  set  about  just  so.  But 
have  you  ever  felt  at  home,  or  at  ease,  in  such  a 
home?  If  you  have  a  store  where  you  feel  you 
must  give  over  part  of  the  window  to  other  mer- 
chandise than  Amberolas,  try  to  place  in  the  win- 
dow only  those  things  which  might  be  found  in  a 
home  near  the  machine.  A  chair  with  a  cushion  in 
it,  a  newspaper  thrown  carelessly  in  it,  with  the 
machine  open  and  a  record  on  it,  gives  you  imme- 
diately a  sense  of  the  person  having  just  left — of 
a  home  where  music  is  enjoyed,  where  people  of 
superior  tastes  live.  This  "life"  impression  can  be 
heightened  if  a  table  is  set  close  by  and  on  it  a 
table  lamp — lighted  at  night — with  a  book  open 
and  thrown  down  carelessly,  or  perhaps  a  partially 
smoked  cigar  and  a  record,  taken  out  of  the  carton, 
resting  on  the  table,  as  if  it  were  to  be  played  next. 
These  are  only  a  few  such  ideas  as  will  suggest 
themselves  readily  to  the  man  who  thinks  and 
observes. 

If  you  doubt  the  wonderful  suggestive  power  of 
home  in  such  arrangements,  just  remember  the 
famous  ad  of  a  well  known  glove  house.  On  a  table 
is  thrown  a  pair  of  gloves  as  they  would  look  when 
just  taken  off  the  hands — not  set  stiffly  in  a  box, 
or  otherwise  stiffly  displayed.  Nearby  these  gloves 
is  a  lighted  cigarette  from  which,  in  a  most  natural 
way,  a  curl  of  smoke  ascends.  Who  can  look  at  that 
simple  picture  without  the  imagination  immediately 
supplying  the  missing  parts — the  well-dressed  man, 
just  in  from  the  street,  with  its  strong  suggestion  of 
use.  There's  life  in  that  ad,  and  because  there's 
life  in  it  there  have  been  sales — silent  sales — made 
through  it.  The  fact  that,  though  it  is  the  custom 
to  change  such  ads  very  frequently,  this  glove  house 
has  used  this  ad  for  a  long  time  is  a  tribute  to  its 
power  of  suggestion — its  selling  power.  And  it  has 
selling  power  for  the  same  reasons  that  shape  our 
suggestions  above,  it  is  natural,  true  to  life. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  MARCH,  1916 


Doings  of  the  Dealers — Continued 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPHS  AND 
THE  PIANO 

THOSE  who  are  half-hearted  or  doubt  that  the 
golden  era  of  the  phonograph  is  here  need 
but  watch  the  trend  of  popular  preference  and 
how  it  affects  music  houses  that  have  been  a  long 
while  in  business. 

E.  E.  Taylor  &  Co.,  of  Olympia,  Washington, 
for  twenty-five  years  engaged  in  a  substantial  piano 
business,  recently  sold  out  his  entire  stock  of 
pianos  at  a  special  sale  and  went  whole-heartedly 
and  exclusively  into  the  sale  of  Edison  Phonographs 
and  Records,  convinced  that  in  them  lay  the  kind  of 
a  future  that  a  business  going  quarter  of  a  century 
could  be  satisfied  with. 

And  if  there  is  any  business  in  which  salesman- 
ship has  been  developed  into  an  art,  in  the  best 
sense,  it  is  the  piano  business.  They  profited  by 
the  popular  idea  that  no  home  could  be  complete 
without  a  piano,  no  matter  how  humble.  All  the 
conveniences  of  the  deferred  payment  had  been 
masterly  developed  and  used  in  that  line.  They 
were  strongly  entrenched  when  the  phonograph 
began  to  loom  on  the  horizon.  The  piano  dealers 
did  not  take  it  seriously  for  a  long  time.  Then 
some  of  them  began  to  take  some  phonographs  into 
their  stores.  Even  at  this  period  the  phonograph 
did  not  threaten  the  stability  of  the  piano  business 
in  the  sense  of  being  a  worthy  rival. 

But  then  Mr.  Edison  brought  out  his  perfection 
of  the  phonograph  which  made  it  a  real  musical 
instrument  instead  of  a  more  or  less  feeble  mechan- 
ical reproducer.  This  was  the  beginning  of  the 
Edison  Phonograph  taking  its  place  side  by  side 
with  one  of  the  most  perfect  solo  instruments  ever 
perfected — the  piano.  But  the  Edison  Phonograph 
had  the  evident  and  distinct  advantage  of  furnish- 
ing at  will,  irrespective  of  the  listener's  performing 
ability  or  musical  knowledge,  the  finest  music  of  the 
world's  music  masters.  The  piano  needed  a  per- 
former, needed  years  of  patient  practice,  needed  the 
mood.  It  still  stands  high,  and  should  so  stand,  as 
a  wonderful  instrument,  but  the  Edison  Phonograph 
has  grown  into  deserved  popular  appreciation  of 
its  marvelous  musical  powers.  If  such  an  instrument 
has  the  power  to  rise  to  a  position  beside  the  piano, 
time-honored  and  crowned  by  compositions  of  bril- 
liant composers  for  several  hundred  years,  then  the 
Diamond  Amberola  is  worthy  of  the  best  efforts  you 
can  put  into  its  promotion  and  sale.  Not  to  do  so 
is  to  discredit  yourself,  lose  money-full  opportuni- 
ties, and  the  missing  of  a  future  that  belongs  to  you. 


LONG  DISTANCE  SALESMAKING 

BEING  hidden  away  nearly  a  hundred  miles 
from  the  nearest  railroad  station — ninety 
miles  to  be  exact — cannot  dim  W.  A.  Work's 
interest  in,  and  enthusiasm  for,  the  Edison  Diamond 
Amberola.  Far  away  out  in  Lovington,  New 
Mexico,  comes  the  query  for  the  latest  records, 
all  the  news  about  the  artists,  their  photographs. 
Is  Miss  so-and-so  dead?  We  haven't  heard 
enough  of  her  lately.  My  customers  are  interested 
in  all  these  things. 

Mr.  Work,  perhaps  living  up  to  his  name,  finds 
time  to  run  a  thriving  drug  store  and  still  keep 
up  his  interest  in  Amberolas  to  sales  heat.  Isn't 
there  a  world  of  suggestive  force,  for  dealers 
more  favorably  situated  in  larger  towns,  in  th 
example  of  this  doer  of  a   dealer? 


FROM  ONE  WHO  KNOWS 

The  Reverend  J.  J.  O'Keefe,  of  Dalton,  Mass.,  is 
the  proud  possessor  of  a  Diamond  Amberola,  a  $450 
Edison  Diamond  Disc,  and  two  other  expensive 
sound-reproducing  instruments.  He  also  has  a 
splendid  library  of  records. 

Rev.  O'Keefe  is  a  gentleman  of  culture,  especially 
in  music,  and  with  his  array  of  sound  reproducers 
he  certainly  is  in  a  position  to  "judge  for  himself." 
In  a  recent  letter  to  his  dealer,  The  Meyer  Store, 
Inc.,  of  Dalton,  he  stated  he  had  been  consulted  in 
regard  to  the  purchase  of  instruments  for  the  public 
schools  of  Dalton  and  advised  the  purchase  of 
Edison  Diamond  Amberolas  on  account  of  tone, 
indestructible  records  and  needing  no  change  of 
needles. 

What  do  you  think  of  that? 


AMBEROLA  AND  ENERGY— A 
WINNING  COMBINATION 

D.  Hogeboom,  of  Pittsburg,  Kan.,  is  an  Edison 
dealer  to  whom  we  point  with  pride.  Mr.  Hoge- 
boom has  handled  the  Edison  Diamond  Disc  since 
September,  1915.  After  familiarizing  himself  with 
the  Diamond  Disc  Mr.  Hogeboom  was  in  an 
excellent  position  to  judge  the  merits  of  the  Am- 
berol.  It  didn't  take  him  long  to  realize  that  he 
was  missing  an  opportunity  for  some  mighty  profit- 
able business,  and  as  a  result  he  has  taken  on  the 
Amberol  line,  which  makes  him  an  exclusive  Edison 
dealer  in  the  full  sense  of  the  term.  The  energetic 
methods  of  Mr.  Hogeboom,  coupled  with  the  all- 
around  excellence  of  the  Amberola  and  Blue  Am- 
berol records,  are  sure  to  make  him  a  success. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  MARCH,  1916 


A  CONTINUOUS  INCOME 

WHEN  an  insurance  agent  sells  a  policy  he 
not  only  receives  in  remuneration  a  per- 
centage of  the  first  premium,  but  he  also 
receives  an  annual  payment  on  each  policy  that  is 
renewed.  The  income  of  the  average  successful 
insurance  agent  from  renewals  is  substantial  and  it 
often  reaches  a  figure,  in  long-established  concerns, 
in  excess  of  the  profits  on  the  active  business  of  the 
year.  This  is  one  of  the  features  that  makes  the 
insurance  business  so  highly  attractive  to  so  many 
capable  salesmen.  The  opportunity  to  build  up  a 
business  that  will  net  them  a  substantial  income 
even  after  they  have  ceased  active  work  is  one  that 
must  appeal  to  every  person. 

But  the  insurance  agent  has  nothing  on  the  phono- 
graph dealer,  providing  the  latter  keeps  in  close 
touch  with  every  person  to  whom  he  has  sold  a 
machine.  As  the  insurance  agent  has  to  be  con- 
stantly alert  to  prevent  policy  holders  from  cancel- 
ing their  contracts,  so  the  phonograph  dealer  must 
make  every  effort  to  prevent  phonograph  owners 
from  losing  interest  in  their  machines.  If  this  is 
done  the  first  profit  on  the  sale  of  a  phonograph  is 
only  a  small  part  of  the  profit-making  possibilities 
of  the  transaction.  The  returns  that  may  be  secured 
from  the  follow-up  business  in  records  may  easily 
total  more  than  the  immediate  profit  attached  to 
the  sale  of  the  machine.  In  this  way  the  phono- 
graph agency  presents  all  of  the  alluring  possibil- 
ities of  the  insurance  business. 

Every  policy  that  the  insurance  agent  sells  in- 
sures an  income  for  him  as  long  as  the  policy  is 
being  renewed. 

And  every  Amberola  that  the  dealer  sells  insures 
him  a  future  income  as  long  as  he  keeps  in  touch 
with  the  owner  of  the  machine  and  keeps  him 
interested  in  renewing  his  records. 

So  every  Amberola  that  you  sell  is  a  sort  of  an 
income  insurance  policy  that  guarantees  you  sub- 
stantial returns  as  long  as  it  is  in  use. 


"THE  DRUG  STORE,  THE  MOST 

LOGICAL  PLACE  TO  SELL 

PHONOGRAPHS" 

By  Burton  L.  Bennett,  Bristol,  Conn. 

(Prize  winning  article  on  "What  Chance  Does  a 
Druggist  Have  Against  Other  Dealers  in  the  Hand- 
ling of  Phonographs."  The  prize  was  offered  by 
the  Bulletin  of  Pharmacy,  Detroit,  Mich.) 

It  was  along  in  the  late  nineties  that  I  first 
became  interested  in  phonographs.  I  was  the 
first  dealer  in  my  city  to  offer  them  for  sale. 

But  at  that  time  the  talking  machine  industry 
was  in  its  infancy;  the  instruments  were  not  the 
perfected  devices  that  they  are  to-day.    The  motors 


were  small  in  comparison  to  those  now  in  use; 
the  records  were  made  of  wax  and  easily  broken  or 
destroyed  by  handling. 

After  a  time  I  became  discouraged  and  ceased 
to  handle  the  line,  as  I  did  not  think  it  would  ever 
become  a  commercial  success.  That's  where  I 
made  a  big  mistake.  Instead  of  sticking  and  allow- 
ing my  business  to  grow  with  the  development  of 
the  phonograph,  I  quit,  and  thereby  lost  the  prestige 
that  rightfully  should  have  been  mine. 

About  1910,  when  the  hornless  disc  graphophone 
appeared  on  the  market,  came  my  second  oppor- 
tunity to  handle  talking  machines.  I  grasped  it. 
So  much  so  that  I  now  figure  20  per  cent,  of  my 
gross  receipts  comes  from  phonographs  and 
supplies. 

The  beauty  of  the  business  is  that  every  time  I 
sell  a  machine  I  make  a  customer  for  innumerable 
records  and  supplies.  I  am  creating  future  sales 
and  laying  a  foundation  for  a  constantly  increasing 
trade.  The  line  is  one  that  is  always  in  demand 
and  allows  a  good  margin  of  profit. 

To  my  mind  the  talking  machine  business  is 
fully  as  desirable  and  as  easily  conducted  as  is 
the  selling  of  cameras.  And  hundreds  of  druggists 
know  from  experience  what  a  large  volume  of  busi- 
ness it  is  possible  to  derive  from  the  latter. 

The  camera  and  supply  trade  is  at  its  height  in 
summer,  the  phonograph  trade  swells  to  its  largest 
proportion  in  winter.  The  two  serve  to  balance 
each  other  and  keep  the  volume  of  business  on  an 
even   keel. 

WHY  HANDLING  THE  LINE  PAYS 
Phonographs  do  not  require  much  space  in  which 
to  display  them.  Just  room  enough  for  a  few 
small  machines  on  the  counters,  and  a  cabinet  or 
two  on  the  floor  suffices.  Considering  the  amount  of 
space  required,  no  other  department  of  the  store 
pays  larger  returns. 

From  my  experience  I  am  led  to  believe  that 
there  are  at  least  six  good  reasons  why  the  drug- 
gist has  an  equal,  if  not  a  better,  chance  against 
other  stores  in  the  sale  of  phonographs.  Here  they 
are: 

1.  Drug  store  locations  are  usually  such  that  they 
lend  themselves  most  favorably  to  the  display  of 
any  line  of  merchandise  that  has  merit. 

2.  Drug  store  hours  of  doing  business  are  longer 
than  those  of  most  other  stores,  hence  the  owners 
have  greater  opportunities  to  make  sales. 

3.  No  special  technical  knowledge  is  required  to 
sell  phonographs  or  records. 

4.  Drug  stores  cater  to  a  wide  class  of  trade;  the 
high  and  low,  the  rich  and  the  poor.  Phono- 
graphs range  in  price  from  $10  to  $500.  There  is 
a  style  to  suit  every  taste  and  a  price  to  fit  every 
pocketbook. 

5.  The  public  looks  to  the  modern  drug  store  for 
many  different  articles,  and  can  be  educated  quite 
easily  to  purchase  there  phonographs  and  supplies. 

6.  And  most  important  of  all — phonographs,  like 
cameras,  are  sold  to  the  dealer  at  a  restricted  resale 
price  and  on  an  exclusive  agency  plan.  There  is 
no  price-  cutting  and  no  competitor  next  door  has 
the  same  line. 


10 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  MARCH,  1916 


A  WONDERFUL  demonstration  of  esteem  was 
the  greeting  accorded  Mr.  Edison  when  he 
entered  the  dining  hall  on  the  occasion  of  the 
annual  banquet  of  the  Edison  Club,  February  5th,  at 
Newark,  N.  J.  Nearly  five  hundred  employees,  rep- 
resentatives from  various  departments  of  Thomas 
A.  Edison,  Inc.,  stood  on  their  chairs,  vigorously 
waved  handkerchiefs  and  napkins  and  nearly  five 
hundred  throats  told  in  cheers  what  could  not  be 
expressed  in  words.  Truly,  a  welcome  to  moisten 
the  eye  of  an  emperor. 


Fifth  Annual  Banquet  of  thl 

The  above  photograph  was  taken  a 
any  importance  in  the  Edison  J 

Among  the  numerous  entertainers  secured  for  the 
occasion  were  our  own  Billy  Murray  and  Walter 
Van  Brunt,  who  met  with  a  resounding  reception 
and  well  they  deserved  it,  for  they  were  in  fine 
trim  and  displayed  the  talent  which  makes  them 
such  Amberol  favorites. 

One  of  the  closest  friends  of  Mr.  Edison,  Hudson 
Maxim,  scientist  and  author  of  "Defenseless  Ameri- 
ca," was  speaker  of  the  evening.  His  subject  was 
"Genius,"  the  personification  of  which  he  declared 
was  Thomas  A.  Edison.     In  conclusion  Mr.  Maxim 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  MARCH,  1916 


11 


ison  Club,  February  5,  1916 

Mr.  Edison  arrived.      Everyone  of 
zations  attended  this  banquet. 

recited  a  poem  of  his  own  composition  dedicated 
to  Mr.  Edison  on  the  occasion  of  his  69th  birthday, 
which  reads: 

Since  God  broke  chaos  into  light 
And  flung  the  stars  upon  the  night 
And  set  the  wonder  of  the  day 
Upon  its  high  celestial  way, 
A  myriad  million  human  eyes 
Have  seen  by  the  illumined  skies; 
Yet  but  one  man  of  all  the  train 
Possessed  the  Edisonian  brain — 
But  one  could  strike  the  magic  spark 


To  smite  the  night — turn  off  the  dark. 
In  all  of  time  since  entered  Man 
Upon  the  macrocosmic  plan — 
In  all  the  heaven-drift  and  flight 
Of  stars  that  constellate  the  night 
And   join   the   world-reel    with   our   sun, 
The  Edisons  are  numbered  one. 
Upon  the  way  where  morning  goes, 
And  dewdrops  diadem  the  rose 
And  pave  the  pathway  of  the  clod, 
Where  genius  walks  alone  with  God — 
One  man  with  God  possessed  the  might 
To  call   and  bring  the  answer — Light. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  MARCH,  1916 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  MARCH,  1916 


Fifth  Annual  Banquet  of  theSdison  Club,  February  5,  1916 

The  above  photograph  was  taken  beprc  Mr.  Edison  arrived.      Everyone  of 
any  importance  in  the  Edison  fljnizations  attended  this  banquet. 


lilly   Murray   and 


r.  Edison,  Hudson 

His  subject  was 
.vhich  he  declared 


ll.-nc  sixn   l.v  the  illumined  skies; 
Yet  but  one  man  of  all  the  train 
I'o^esseu1  the  Fdisonian  brain- 
Hut  one  could  strike  the  magic  spark 


12 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  MARCH,  1916 


Sales  Suggestions 


A  NEW  SALES  FIELD 

THE  enterprising  dealer  is  always  looking  for 
new  angles  for  selling.  Following  are  some 
ideas  on  working  a  field  which  has  been  over- 
looked. 

Most  factories  have  some  sort  of  a  room  which 
is,  or  can  be,  used  for  recreation  purposes.  There 
is  always  a  good  portion  of  the  workers  who  take 
their  dinners  with  them,  eating  about  the  factory, 
The  noon  hour  usually  hangs  heavily  upon  them 
for  entertainment.  Most  employers  are  now 
broadminded  enough,  or  believers  in  real  efficiency 
enough,  to  realize  that  any  entertainment  their 
men  would  get  during  their  noon  hours  would  bene- 
fit them  also.  With  this  idea  for  a  central  argu- 
ment, it  should  be  found  no  task  to  get  permission 
from  the  heads  of  the  firm  to  give  a  noon  concert 
to  the  men. 

If  you  cannot  spare  the  time  from  the  store  or 
have  not  sufficient  help  to  send  a  man,  we  would 
suggest  that  you  can  find  a  man,  musically  inclined, 
working  in  the  factory,  if  it  is  large  enough  to 
warrant  assigning  a  man  for  that  one  place.  He 
can  be  easily  taught  your  methods  and  ideas.  But 
we  are  much  in  favor,  and  recommend  strongly, 
that  you  yourself,  or  a  trained  salesman,  go  along 
and  handle  the  affair,  instead. 

You  could  take  with  you  an  Amberola  30.  Be 
sure  to  take  along  literature  describing  the  different 
models  so  that  the  men  can  take  it  home,  for  they 
surely  will.  Also,  be  prepared  with  agreements  for 
possible  sales.  Often  a  man  will  take  a  sudden 
notion,  then  get  over  it.  Catch  him  while  he  is 
"warm." 

Take  along  some  funny  records  as  well  as  pop- 
ular airs.  Have  at  least  one  classical  record  on  tap 
but  don't  play  it  unless  the  class  of  work  or  factory 
is  one  employing  men  that  would  appreciate  it;  or, 
of  course,  unless  a  classical  record  is  asked  for. 

Be  sure  to  invite  the  men  to  your  shop,  telling 
them  they  needn't  "dress  up,"  and  to  bring  the  fam- 
ily along  to  hear  some  more.  Remember,  also, 
in  thus  going  after  the  men  in  the  family  that  a 
man,  who  will  hold  his  wife  down  on  the  purchase 
of  anything  like  a  phonograph,  will  buy  one  him- 
self without  turning  a  hair  or  making  an  excuse. 
If  you  don't  think  this  is  true,  ask  the  women  folk. 

In  talking  to  men  at  the  factory  noon  hour,  you 
can  put  more  stress  upon  the  remarkable  mechanical 
finish  of  the  finer  parts  of  the  machine,  the  dia- 
mond point  feature,  etc.  These  will  appeal  more  to 
a  man.     To  a  woman,  alone,  these  features  would 


mean  little  and  would  not  persuade  her  as  a  talk 
on  the  influence  and  refinement  of  life,  pleasure, 
etc.,  of  a  phonograph  in  the  home. 

It's  getting  a  prospect  when  attention  is  easy  to 
arouse  that  lands  many  a  sale.  During  noon  hour, 
the  men  have  to  stay  around  the  shop  and  have 
nothing  to  interest  them.  Don't  give  one  concert 
and  give  it  up  if  you  don't  make  a  sale  from  it. 
Also,  don't  give  them  too  frequently  or  the  men 
will  consider  that  they  might  as  well  listen  and 
enjoy  it  there  without  expense  as  at  home.  At  the 
first  concert,  if  you  haven't  what  some  would  like 
to  hear,  encourage  them  to  name  selections  they  like. 
Remember  that,  despite  the  popularity  of  current 
"hits,"  you  are  sure  of  pleasing  them  by  having 
some  of  the  old-time  favorites,  such  as  "Annie 
Laurie,"  "Dixie,"  "The  Last  Rose  of  Summer," 
"Believe  Me  if  All  Those  Endearing  Young 
Charms,"  "Old  Black  Joe,"  etc.  Songs  of  these 
sort  awaken  in  any  man  sentiments  of  his  earlier 
life  when  sentiment  was  stronger  in  him,  and  his 
impressions  were  deeper. 

If  the  factory  employ  more  women  than  men, 
then  the  situation  is  little  altered.  It  is  the  same 
field  of  possibilities  for  sales.  Only,  and  better 
yet,  you  have  a  much  more  impressionable  lot  of 
prospects,  which  fact  prepares  the  way  for  sales 
to  a  marked  degree. 


SALES   INFLUENCE  OF  PHONO- 
GRAPHS IN  SCHOOLS 

DON'T  neglect  the  opportunity  of  placing  an 
Edison  Diamond  Amberola  in  a  school,  when 
it  is  possible  to  do  it. 
The  influence  on  the  child  of  what  is  seen  and 
heard  in  the  school  room  has  been  proven  to  be 
of  most  permanent  effect.  Therefore,  bear  in  mind, 
that  if  a  child  thinks  of  an  Edison  Diamond  Amber- 
ola when  it  thinks  of  a  "phonograph,"  your  sales 
are  bound  to  show  the  effect  sooner  or  later.  This 
sounds  broad,  but  let  us  see.  Their  hearing  a 
phonograph  at  school  first  of  all  creates  in  the  chil- 
dren a  desire  they  otherwise  likely  would  not  exper- 
ience, except  by  chance.  They  become  an  auxiliary 
sales  force  for  you.  Home,  to  them,  would  be  a 
better  place  if  it  had  a  "phonograph."  They  tell 
their  parents  so.  Parents,  with  few  exceptions,  are 
more  susceptible  to  their  children's  desires  than  to 
any  influence  outside  the  home.  If  you  doubt  this, 
recall  what  influences  prompted  many  a  home  pur- 
chase— if  you  are  intimately  enough  acquainted  with 
the  cases.     Once  the  children  have  become  used  to 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  MARCH,  1916 


13 


Sales  Suggestions — Continued 


the  purity  of  tone  of  an  Edison  Amberola,  the  nat- 
uralness and  fidelity,  there  is  little  danger  that  they 
could  be  persuaded  to  be  satisfied  with  a  "talking 
machine." 

Then,  again,  what  dealer  looks  but  six  months  or 
a  year  or  two  ahead?  The  man  who  looms  large  is 
the  man  who  is  continually  looking  into  the  future, 
for  the  business  increase  it  should  bring.  The 
school  boy  and  school  girl  of  to-day  is  the  young 
groom  or  the  young  bride  of  the  to-morrow.  So, 
even  if  they  did  not  have  a  phonograph  in  their 
parents'  home,  they  present  a  field  already  well 
fertilized  for  the  sale  of  the  machine  they  are  most 
familiar  with — the  Edison  Diamond  Amberola.  Or, 
again,  if  they  had  one  in  their  parents'  home,  the 
young  people  will  be  all  the  less  content  until  they 
secure  one  for  their  own  home. 

John  Wanamaker,  the  prince  of  merchants,  was 
thought  visionary  when  he  first  proposed  his  ideas 
on  building  for  future  business.  To-day  his  critics 
are  far  behind,  still  small  shopkeepers,  while  those 
who  are  nearest  in  size  accept  as  business  religion 
the  principles  which  John  Wanamaker  pioneered 
and  was  laughed  at  for. 


HOW  A  NOON  CONCERT  IDEA 
NEARLY  FAILED  IN  SALES 

ONE  of  the  most  potent  factors  in  building  up 
what  is  perhaps  the  largest  phonograph  busi- 
ness in  New  York  City  in  their  noon-hour 
concerts,  to  which,  of  course,  all  are  invited  by  a 
neat  artistic  card  invitation  placed  in  the  window 
and  a  similar  invitation  placarded  on  a  stand  at 
the  edge  of  the  sidewalk. 

When  the  plan  was  first  started  it  met  with 
instant  response.  There  were  always  a  great 
many  who  felt  they  should  get  out  of  the  office, 
but  who  had  no  place  to  go.  A  concert,  with  its 
double  attraction,  was  most  inviting. 

But  although  everything  was  done  to  make  one 
easy  and  comfortable  as  soon  as  one  entered  the 
door,  it  was  noted  that  the  sales  did  not  show  the 
responsive  effect  that  such  an  event  should  show. 
At  first  there  was  a  disposition  to  criticise  the  sales- 
manship of  the  clerks.  A  watch  was  kept  and  it 
was  noticed  that  while  many  came  in  to  listen, 
surprisingly  few  approached  the  clerks. 

Then  someone  with  a  good  supply  of  horse  sense 
suggested  that  there  was  a  faint  possibility  that  the 
demonstrator  was  playing  music  "over  their  heads" 
or  playing  too  much  popular  music.  She  was 
approached  to  see  by  what  method  she  determined, 


if  she  had  any  method  at  all,  what  records  should 
be  played.  She  said  she  had  tried  to  gauge  her 
audience's  taste  by  judging  their  general  appear- 
ance, but  it  was  so  mixed  that  it  mixed  her  up. 
One  day  it  was  this  kind  of  an  audience  and  on 
another  day  it  was  that  kind  of  an  audience.  "Why 
didn't  somebody  think  of  putting  up  a  box  in  which 
those  attending  could  state  what  they  would  like 
played,"  said  the  party  of  the  horse  sense.  The 
perfect  saneness  of  this  remark  caused  a  box  to  be 
placed  next  day.  It  worked  like  that  proverbial 
charm.  They  found  that,  where  persons  attending 
had  been  timid  about  approaching  the  attendant, 
they  gladly  put  in  their  suggestions  on  small  pieces 
of  paper.  The  attendants  increased  in  numbers. 
They  grew  more  interested  and,  after  hearing  their 
favorites,  approached  the  salespeople.  The  result 
naturally  was  that  the  sales  showed  a  healthy 
increase  that  put  noon  concerts  at  the  top  as  the 
star  salesman.  Like  many  a  sales  idea,  it  was  the 
lack  of  an  absurdly  simple  thing  that  made  it  come 
dangerously  near  to  a  failure. 

These  noon  concerts  can  be  adapted  to  your  own 
business,  no  matter  how  small.  The  larger  the 
town,  the  better  for  its  success.  You  can  mention 
it  in  your  regular  advertisement  if  you  do  not 
wish  to  give  a  whole  "ad"  to  it.  Do  not  expect 
it  to  be  a  whirlwind  success  the  first  day  or  the 
first  week  that  you  operate  it.  The  event  has  to 
become  well  known  to  assure  its  greatest  success. 
If  you  do  not  have  enough  callers  to  warrant  the 
use  of  a  "suggestion  box,"  be  sure  to  ask  the  visitors 
what  their  favorite  selections  are.  Make  it  plain, 
though,  that  the  expression  of  their  desires  places 
no  obligation  upon  them  whatever.  The  playing  of 
favorite  records  is  a  great  help  in  selling  an 
instrument. 

And,  lastly,  show  no  undue  haste  to  sell  a 
machine  to  an  inquirer.  For  obvious  haste  here  will 
defeat  the  very  spirit  and  success  of  these  noon- 
hour  recitals. 

Remember,  too,  that  these  occasions  get  people 
into  your  store  who  probably  never  would  other- 
wise visit  it;  that  because  of  this  they  have  to  be 
handled  more  carefully  and  more  skilfully;  that  it 
gives  the  always  much-to-be-desired  opportunity  to 
hear  the  purity  of  tone  of  the  Amberola  and  its 
re-creation  of  music,  as  against  talking  machine 
"music"  with  which  they  may  be  familiar. 


Remember,   after  you  drop   a   75c.  Blue  Amberol 
record  it  is  still  worth  75c. 


14 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  MARCH,  1916 


Sometimes  Called  Humor 


A  PIERCING  RETORT 
"Isn't   it   funny,"    said    Gladys    curiously   to   her 

chum,   Phyllis.     "Father  has  promised  to   give  me 

a  pair  of  diamond  earrings  if  I  will   stop  having 

music  lessons.     I  wonder  why?" 

"That's    strange!"    agreed   Phyllis.     "But  you've 

never  worn  earrings,  have  you?" 

"No.     I  shall  have  to  get  my  ears  pierced." 
"That  explains  it,"  said  Phyllis,  an  innocent  smile 

curving  her  ruby  lips.     "He  wants  to  pay  you  back 

in  your  own  coin." 


COULDN'T  BE  DONE 

He  was  a  member  of  a  regimental  band  and  he 
did  not  forget  to  brag  about  it. 

"Why,  man,  we  can  play  the  most  intricate  airs 
at  sight,"  he  was  saying. 

"Indeed,"  said  the  unbelieving  listener,  "I  should 
like  to  hear  you  play  the  airs  the  drum-major  puts 
on." 


ETERNITY 
Son — Paw,  what's  the  longest  period  of  time? 
Pa — From  one  pay-day  to  the  next. 


LEAP  YEAR? 
A  woman  who  was  entertaining  a  musically  in- 
clined man  asked  him  to  sing.  He  complied  and, 
after  singing  several  popular  songs  of  the  day, 
began  on  sacred  music.  Turning  to  her,  he  said: 
"Now  I  am  going  to  sing  something  directly  to 
you;  guess  what  it  is." 

She  gayly  replied:  "  'I  Need  Thee  Every  Hour.'  " 
"Oh,  no,"  he  returned:  "'Abide  With  Me.'" 
Whereupon,  she  quickly  retorted:  "I  thought  pos- 
sibly it  might  be,  'Lead  Thou  Me  On.'  " 


THE   CULINARY  NOCTURNE 
Wife — Waldo,    I   wish   you   would   put   that   fifth 

nocturne  on  the  pianola. 

Hubby — Eight  in  the  morning  is  a  trifle  early  for 

music,  my  dear. 

Wife — I  know;  but  the  length  of  time  it  takes  to 

play  is  just  right  for  boiling  an  egg. 


ON  RECORD 

Sam — My  wife   made  me   recite  my  New  Year's 
resolutions  into  the  phonograph. 
Abe — What  was  the  idea? 
Sam — She  said  she  wanted  to  put  them  on  record. 


NO  JOKE 
"Just  a  word,  young  man,"  said  the  owner  of  the 
music  store.  "If  a  customer  knows  what  he  wants, 
sell  it  to  him.  I  know  that  a  star  salesman  can 
always  sell  him  something  else,  but  I  have  a  theory 
that  it  will  pay  just  as  well  to  sell  him  what  he 
wants." 


THE   WILL  AND   THE  WAY 

A  story  is  told  of  a  certain  well-known  theatrical 
manager,  who  has  a  habit  of,  by  hook  or  crook, 
getting  his  own  way. 

"That's  too  loud,"  he  called  out  one  day,  as  the 
orchestra  started  at  a  rehearsal. 

"I  can't  help  it,  sir,"  replied  the  conductor.  "It's 
marked  'forte.'  " 

"Well,"  went  on  the  man  of  power  imperturbably, 
"just  make   it  thirty-five,   please." 


PLAY  TO   SELL  THEM,   TOO 
Father — My  son,   the  time  has  come   for  you   to 
give  up  play  and  go  to  work. 

Son — You're   wrong,   father.     I   know   of   a  way 
to  combine  work  and  play.     I'll  get  a  job  demon- 
strating phonographs. 
And  he  did. 


NO   USE  TRYING 

Mother — If  you  can't  keep  the  children  quiet  send 
them  up  to  me  for  a  while  and  I'll  sing  to  them. 

Nurse — Oh,  that  won't  do  any  good.  I've  threat- 
ened them  with  that  already. 


A  GOOD  IDEA,  NEVERTHELESS 
Man  (in  car,  to  man  sitting  in  corner) — I  firmly 
believe  that  it  is  a  man's  duty  to  share  any  good 
luck  he  may  have  with  his  wife.  For  instance, 
when  he  makes  a  little  extra  profit  he  ought  to  buy 
her  a  phonograph  or  a  piano. 

Man  in   Corner — A  good   idea  !     Er — are  you   a 
social    philosopher,   sir? 

The  Other — No;  I'm  a  retail  dealer  in  talking- 
machines  and  pianos. 


"IN  THE  SWEET  BYE  AND  BYE" 
"I  don't  care  much  for  that  piece  the  orchestra  is 

playing  now." 

"Why,   that's  futurist  music." 

"Oh,    is   that   it?     Why   don't  they   play   it  some 

time  in  the  future,  then?" 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  MARCH,  1916 


IS 


Dealers'  Questions  Answered 


W.  E.  H.,  Philmont,  N.  Y.— 1.  Why  don't  you  call 
it  "Edison  Diamond  Amberola  Monthly"?  2.  I 
have  an  Edison  Amberola  50  that  repeats  on  some 
records.  Same  records  play  perfectly  on  other 
machines.  Does  not  always  repeat  on  same  record 
nor  always  in  the  same  place.  Record  tight.  Feed 
nut  in  perfect  mesh.  Reproducer  let  down  quickly. 
3.  An  Amberola  75  plays  false  when  a  certain  note 
is  played  on  a  band  piece.  Something  seems  loose 
but  I  can't  find  it.  4.  Some  cabinets  have  scratches 
or  other  defects  in  the  varnish.  Packing  is  in  good 
shape  and  wrapping  paper  intact,  but  when  I  expose 
the  machine  I  find  scratches,  etc.  Looks  like  care- 
less handling  before  packing. 

[1.  This  is  probably  a  better  name  and  we  may 
later  adopt  it. 


2.  The  reproducer  swivel  stud  may  bind,  thus 
preventing  the  weight  from  working  freely.  The 
remedy  is  to  apply  one  drop  of  Edison  Diamond 
Oil  and  to  see  that  reproducer  sets  snugly  and 
firmly  in  arm  and  horn  stem. 

3.  The  false  notes  usually  indicate  that  the 
reproducer  is  in  need  of  adjustment.  The  proper 
procedure  is  to  send  it  to  your  jobber  for  replace- 
ment. 

4.  Our  cabinets  are  in  perfect  condition  when 
packed  for  shipment  and  no  expense  is  spared  in 
packing  them  so  that  they  will  reach  destination 
safely,  but,  regardless  of  the  care  exercised,  these 
highly  finished  cabinets,  like  any  other  piece  of 
furniture,  may  need  retouching  before  they  can  be 
placed  on  sale.  The  Edison  cabinet  retouching  out- 
fit will  enable  you  to  easily  remove  these  blemishes. 
If  you  do  not  know  what  this  retouching  outfit  is 
ask  us  to  send  you  Form  2876.] 


SELLING   DANCE   RECORDS 

A  GOOD  suggestion  and  sales  help  is  to  have 
part  of  your  store,  if  you  have  the  room,  in 
such  shape  so  that,  should  a  couple  care  to 
dance  when  listening  to  dance  records,  they  may 
do  so. 

The  floor  can  be  prepared  at  small  cost  and 
kept  in  fairly  good  shape  for  dancing  with  very 
little  trouble.  This  does  not  mean  that  you  need 
to  have  any  space  like  even  a  small  dance  hall. 
Good  dancers  can  try  out  steps,  etc.,  in  a  very 
small  space.  If  you  have  rugs  or  furniture  try 
to  arrange  them  so  that  they  can  be  pushed  back 
with  an  appearance  of  being  but  little  bother. 
No  one  would  care  to  dance  if  they  thought  you 
were  being  put  to  such  trouble  as  to  obligate  them. 

This  may  seem  like  a  trifling  suggestion  to  some, 
but  underlying  it  is  one  of  the  first  and  funda- 
mental principles  of  salesmanship — the  instinct  of 
possession,  in  us  all.  If,  in  your  sales  methods,  you 
can  in  any  way  excite  this  primeval  but  ever 
present  instinct,  your  sales  are  three-quarters  made. 
If  you  have  ever  danced  yourself — to  the  extent  of 
real  enjoyment — you  will  realise  that  listening  to 
and  dancing  to  music  are  things  far  apart.  The 
extra  enjoyment  a  dancer  would  secure  through 
dancing  to  a  certain  record — even  for  a  short  space 
of  time — would  strengthen  that  instinct  of  posses- 
sion, or,  more  commonly  called,  the  desire  for 
possession.  The  rest  is  easy,  when  that  feeling  is 
roused. 


THE  WAY  OF  THE  WISE 

"I  didn't  sell  it  to  you.  Let  the  man  who  did  fix 
it  up  for  you,"  is  a  sentiment  often  expressed  by 
dealers,  although  perhaps  in  not  these  words.  The 
words  are  usually  aimed  at  some  individual  who 
has  bought  an  Edison  Phonograph  in  some  other 
way  or  in  some  other  place  than  from  the  dealer 
in  whose  town  he  now  lives,  but  who  is  asking  that 
a  little  attention  be  given  his  phonograph,  and  who 
is  expecting  to  pay  the  usual  price  for  the  service. 

The  dealer  who  gives  voice  to  this  sentiment  is 
lacking  in  ability  to  appreciate  a  sales  possibility 
when  he  sees  it.  Probably  the  purchaser  now 
regrets  quite  as  much  as  the  dealer  that  he  bought 
the  phonograph  elsewhere,  and  how  differently  he 
would  feel  if,  instead  of  the  dealer  going  back  at 
him  in  the  foregoing  manner,  he  would  express  his 
prompt  willingness  to  give  the  purchaser  service 
and  take  immediate  steps  to  do  it. 

How  much  better  it  would  be  if  the  dealer  would 
say,  "The  fact  that  I  didn't  sell  you  the  phonograph 
makes  me  none  the  less  willing  to  assist  you.  I 
would  have  been  glad  to  have  made  the  sale,  but 
that  I  didn't  is  now  a  thing  of  the  past.  I  want 
to  keep  your  phonograph  in  good  shape  because  I 
want  to  sell  you  some  records.  In  fact,  if  I  could 
sell  you  enough  of  them,  I  would  rather  sell  you 
records  than  the  instrument  itself."  Can't  you 
imagine  how  the  purchaser  would  feel  toward  a 
dealer  under  these  conditions,  and  can  you  imagine 
that  he  would  ever  buy  a  dollar's  worth  of  phono- 
graph goods  from  any  other  dealer? 


Enthusiasm  is  contagious.  See  that  every  pro- 
spective customer  who  steps  into  your  store  is  prop- 
erly and  completely  infected. 


Needles  are  made  to  sew  with — not  to  play  phono- 
graphs. 


16 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  MARCH,  1916 


Some  of  the  Artists  in  the  March  List 


JULIA  HEINRICH 

Miss  Julia  Heinrich  inherited  exceptional  musical 
traits  from  her  parents.  Max  Heinrich,  her  father, 
has  long  been  a  figure  of  nation-wide  repute  as 
singer,  teacher  and  composer,  though  it  was  from 
her  mother  that  she  received  her  first  instruction. 

After  winning  universal  admiration  on  the 
American  concert  stage,  she  went  to  Germany  in 
1910  to  gain  operatic  experience.  Her  talents  were 
soon  recognized  and  it  was  at  the  Stadt  Theatre  in 
Hamburg  that  she  won  her  most  notable  triumphs. 
Miss  Heinrich  had  just  been  engaged  for  three 
years  by  the  Hamburg  Opera  when  the  outbreak  of 
war  made  it  necessary  to  return  to  America,  when 
the  management  of  the  Metropolitan  Opera  House 
promptly  engaged  her  for  the  full  season  of 
1915-1916. 

In  the  words  of  the  Boston  Evening  Transcript 
her  voice  is  "a  smooth,  full-bodied,  warmly  colored 
mezzo-soprano  of  sensuous  beauty,"  every  quality  of 
which  is  delightfully  reproduced  by  the  Edison 
Diamond  Amberola. 

CHRISTINE  MILLER 

Miss    Miller    is   without    doubt   one  

of  the  busiest  and  most  popular 
contraltos  now  before  the  public. 
Everywhere  she  is  meeting  with 
phenomenal  success,  and  the  variety 
and  worth  of  the  engagements 
which  she  is  filling  are  the  strong- 
est possible  testimony  to  her  artistic 
ability.  Although  of  Scotch  birth, 
Miss  Miller  has  lived  in  Pittsburgh, 
Pa.,  since  early  childhood.  To  quote 
W.  L.  Hubbard,  of  the  Chicago  Tribune,  "Miss 
Miller's  voice  is  exquisite  in  quality,  being  rich, 
warm  and  sympathetic,  and  produced  with  an  ease 
and  accuracy  that  make  it  absolutely  reliable  and 
pure.  Her  singing  is  distinguished  by  refined,  in- 
fallible taste,  and  by  genuineness  and  justness  of 
sentiment  and  feeling."  All  this  is  of  general 
interest,  but  that  which  will  chiefly  endear  Miss 
Miller  to  Edison  owners  is  her  unusually  fine  sus- 
tained tone,  in  addition  to  her  wonderfully  clear 
enunciation  and  her  charming  personality. 


BURTON  LENIHAN 

Burton  Lenihan  is  an  American, 
born  in  Saginaw,  Michigan,  and  a 
graduate  of  Oberlin  College,  Ober- 
lin,  Ohio.  His  musical  education 
was  begun  under  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Charles  A.  White,  of  Boston,  well 
known  in  musical  circles  there. 
After  four  years'  study  in  Boston 
he  came  to  New  York  and  played 
several  minor  parts  in  Broadway 
productions  and  at  last  was  featured 
Trentini    in    "The   Firefly,"   where    he 


with    Emma 

sang  the  leading  tenor  role 


ARMAND  VECSEY 
Armand    Vecsey    and    his    Hungar- 
ian  Orchestra  number   among  their  ! 
many  performances  appearances  be- 
fore the  principal  rulers  of  Europe, 
amongst  them  Emperor  William  II., 
King  Edward  VII.  and  Queen  Alex- 
andra, King  Frederick  of  Denmark, 
Maria   Feodorovna,    and   the   Dow- 
ager Empress  of  Russia.     In  addi- 
tion to  his  fame  abroad,  Mr.  Vecsey 
is     very     popular     throughout     the 
United  States.     He  has  appeared  with  great  success 
in  many  of  the  large  cities,  and  for  the  past  season 
has  played  with  his  orchestra   at  the  famous  Ritz- 
Carlton,    New   York   City. 

JOSEPH  A.  PHILLIPS 

Mr.  Phillips  is  a  native  of  Buffalo, 

tN.  Y.,  and  studied  singing  under 
Thomas  Karl,  Francis  Drake  and 
Pasquale  Amato,  of  the  Metropoli- 
tan Opera  House.  At  various  times 
in  the  past  few  years  he  has  ap- 
peared with  De  Wolf  Hopper  in 
"Happyland,"  with  James  T.  Pow- 
ers in  "Havana,"  and  at  one  time 
sang     "Under    the     Shade     of    the 

Palms"  in  "Florodora,"  where  he 
took  the  part  of  Lord  Abercoed.  He  late  became 
soloist  in  St.  Michael's  Episcopal  Church,  New 
York.  His  baritone  voice  is  of  true  tone  and  robust 
quality,  and  adapts  itself  admirably  to  the  making 
of  Phonograph  records. 

BYRON  G.  HARLAN 

Mr.    Harlan    was   born    in   Kansas,  

but  spent  the  greater  part  of  his 
boyhood  in  South  Dakota.  When 
about  twenty-four  years  of  age  he 
went  to  Chicago,  where  he  studied 
singing,  and  then  went  on  the  stage, 
traveling  with  an  opera  company. 
He  later  appeared  with  Hoyt  in  "A 
Texas  Steer,"  and  then  had  a  com- 
pany of  his  own.  Mr.  Harlan  has 
been  making  Edison  records  for 
many  years,  and  has  constantly  added  to  his  ever- 
increasing  circle  of  admirers.  He  has  an  en- 
thusiasm and  a  spontaniety  in  his  coon  songs  and 
vaudeville  sketches  that  never  fail  to  make  a  "hit," 
and  his  duet  records  with  Arthur  Collins  are 
among  the  most  popular  in  the  catalog. 
EMORY  B.  RANDOLPH 

Mr.  Randolph  was  born  in  Western 
New  York  State.  As  a  child  he 
displayed  a  great  interest  in  music; 
at  the  age  of  fourteen  he  played  the 
cornet  and  other  instruments  in 
orchestras.  For  many  years  now  he 
has  been  a  notable  figure  in  church 
musical  work.  For  twelve  years  he 
has  been  soloist  in  leading  metro- 
politan churches;  soloist  at  Ocean 
Grove,  Thousand  Island  Park,  and 
ith  many  choral  and  oratorio  societies.     In  addi- 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  MARCH,  1916 


17 


tion  he  has  organized  numerous  male  quartets,  Glee 
Clubs,  etc.  His  special  work  is  oratorio  and  Eng- 
lish songs,  and  teaching  voice  development.  Mr. 
Randolph's  voice  is  eminently  suitable  for  recording 
purposes.  It  is  a  rich,  warm  and  powerful  tenor, 
and  possesses  that  even  steadiness  of  tone  so 
desirable. 

ARTHUR  COLLINS 

It  is  like  introducing  old  friends  to 

tell   Edison   owners   anything  about 

Arthur    Collins,    for    he    is    known 

wherever  the  Phonograph  is  known. 

Descended     from     a     long    line     of 

Quakers,    he    naturally    had    to    be 

born   in   Philadelphia.     He   learned 

much     of     his     artistic     knowledge 

from   his   mother,    who   was    a    fine 

singer.       Although     famous     as     a 

mimic  and   a  singer  of  coon  songs, 

Mr.   Collins  is   a  trained  musician,   having  devoted 

a    great    deal    of    time    to    the    development    of    his 

powerful    baritone    voice.      You    will    be    interested 

to   know   that   he    sang   with    De    Wolf    Hopper    in 

"Wang"    and    with    Francis   Wilson    in    "The   Lion 

Tamer." 


PUBLICITY  WITH  HUMAN 
INTEREST 

Little  phonograph  stories  that  contain  an  abun- 
dance of  human  interest  are  constantly  taking 
place,  and  if  the  dealer  is  clever  enough  to  bring 
these  to  the  attention  of  the  daily  papers  without 
appearing  too  eager  to  secure  advertising,  he  can 
get  frequently  some  excellent  publicity.  A  story  of 
this  class  concerns  a  family  that  came  into  pos- 
session of  a  new  Amberola.  With  the  intention  of 
introducing  the  instrument  at  a  little  party  to  be 
given  to  a  few  of  their  neighbors  and  friends,  they 
had  it  sent  up  in  the  evening  in  advance  so  that 
it  would  not  be  seen  by  the  neighbors  until  the 
night  that  had  been  selected  for  the  little  affair. 

It  happened,  however,  that  on  the  evening  that 
the  Amberola  was  received  a  young  lady  visitor 
arrived  unexpectedly  from  a  distant  point.  Of 
course,  she  had  to  hear  the  phonograph,  and,  as  she 
preferred  soprano  records,  two  of  the  numbers  by 
Marie  Rappold  were  rendered.  The  next  day  sev- 
eral of  the  neighbors  came  in  and,  after  they  had 
met  the  guest  of  the  family,  they  complimented  her 
upon  her  beautiful  voice  and,  without  exception, 
urged  her  to  sing.  The  circumstances  proved  so 
embarrassing  to  the  visitor  that  it  became  necessary 
to  make  a  premature  announcement  of  the  purchase 
of  the  Amberola. 

This  incident,  of  course,  rapidly  became  the  talk 
of  the  neighborhood  and  before  it  was  many  hours 
old  it  reached  one  of  the  dailies  and  was  printed 
and  given  a  fairly  prominent  place  in  the  paper. 
It  proved  the  best  advertising  that  one  Edison 
dealer  ever  received  and  he  eventually  made  a 
number  of  sales  on  the  strength  of  it. 


THIS  IS  THE  WAY 

E.  Sensbrenner,  an  Amberola  dealer  at  Circleville, 
Ohio,  writes:  "Here  is  a  letter  I  am  sending  to  the 
owners  of  Edison  Cylinder  Phonographs  who  I  am 
not  sure  have  the  four-minute  attachments: 

To  Edison  Phonograph  Owners: 

What  about  your  cylinder  phono- 
graph? Are  you  getting  the  service 
out  of  your  instrument  that  you 
should?  Do  you  realize  the  possi- 
bilities of  the  new  Blue  Amberol, 
indestructible,  four-minute  record 
and  the  diamond  point  reproducer? 
Are  you  aware  that  when  you  im- 
prove your  instrument,  making  it 
possible  to  use  the  new  record  and 
diamond  point  reproducer,  you  will 
have  one  of  the  finest  musical  in- 
struments in  the  world? 

We  are  enthusiastic  about  this 
proposition, — so  enthusiastic  that  we 
are  willing  to  inspect  your  instru- 
ment, either  at  your  home  or  at  our 
store,  and  advise  you  truthfully, 
without  expense  to  you,  whether 
your  machine  is  worth  putting  on  a 
new  attachment. 

We  are  revising  our  mailing  list. 
Every  month  we  will  again  send 
out  new  lists  of  records  and  other 
Edison  information  to  every  owner 
of  a  cylinder  instrument  who  is 
enthusiastic  enough  to  answer  the 
questions  on  the  inclosed  postal 
card,  and  return  it  to  us  at  ONCE. 
After  you  have  answered  all  ques- 
tions properly,  tell  us  under  the 
heading  "Remarks"  if  you  want  us 
to  call  and  look  your  instrument 
over,  or  if  you  will  bring  it  to  us. 
This  is  something  that  is  worth 
your  immediate  consideration — your 
money  is  invested,  and  you  now 
have  the  opportunity  to  make  your 
investment  active  and  many  more 
times  valuable.  Sign  and  mail  the 
postal    NOW,   before  you   forget  it. 

The  postal  card  reads  as  follows: 

Have  you  a  cylinder  phonograph? 

What   make? 

If    Edison,    which    Type?      "Home,"    "Standard," 

"Fireside"   or   "Gem." 
Will  your   machine  play  the  4-minute  record? 
Is  your  machine  in  working  order? 
Do   you   wish   your   name   on   our   new   mailing  list   for 

monthly  Edison  record  lists  and  other  information? 
Remarks. 
Name    and    full    Address. 


Here  is  an  extra  memory  jogger  for  you  to  fill 
out  intelligently  that  blank  on  page  19.  The  infor- 
mation we  request  is  vital  to  the  interests  of  all 
concerned.  The  more  definite  information  you  give 
us  the  better  able  are  we  to  give  you  intelligent 
sales  assistance. 


18 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  MARCH,  1916 


For  St.  Patrick's  Day— March  17 


THERE  is  no  reason  why  every  Edison  Amberol  dealer  should  not  do  a  large  and  profitable  business  in  Irish 
records  during  the  season  of  St.  Patrick's  Day  if  a  little  attention  is  paid  to  displaying  and  featuring  the 
numbers  that  appeal  to  the  hearts  of  the  people  of  Erin.  There  is  no  race  more  loyal  to  its  traditions  or  no 
people  more  susceptible  to  the  charms  of  music  than  the  Irish  and  in  order  to  do  a  lucrative  business  in  connection 
with  St.  Patrick's  Day  it  is  only  necessary  for  the  dealer  to  bring  his  Irish  records  to  the  attention  of  his  Irish  trade . 
In  order  to  accomplish  this,  we  suggest  the  use  of  window  displays  and  also  a  liberal  use  of  card  copy.  St. 
Patrick's  Day  will  suggest  many  ideas  for  clever  window  displays  and  the  enterprising  dealer  will  have  no  difficulty 
in  arranging  an  exhibit  that  will  appeal  to  the  trade  he  seeks  to  attract. 

We  give  some  examples  of  card  copy  that  can  be  used  to  good  effect  and  dealers  can  prepare  similar  copy 
according  to  their  own  ideas.  It  costs  but  very  little  to  have  such  cards  prepared  by  a  sign  painter  and  many 
dealers  are  sufficiently  skilled  in  lettering  to  make  them  without  assistance.  Or  the  material  can  be  used  in  news- 
paper ads. 

At  the  bottom  of  this  page  is  a  list  of  Amberol  records  of  Irish  songs  and  instrumental  numbers.  All  dealers 
should  go  over  the  list  carefully  and  determine  the  selections  that  he  should  have  to  meet  the  coming  demand. 


THEY   SAY   THERE  WERE 
FAIRIES  IN  IRELAND 

You  will  think  there  are 
Fairies  in  America  when  you 
fall  under  the  enchantment 
of  some  of  the  sweet  old  Irish 
songs  played  on 

The  Edison 

Diamond  Amberola 

with 

Blue  Amberol 

Records 

The  best  music  for 
St.  Patrick's  Day 


TARA'S  HARP  HAS 
LONG  BEEN  STILL 

But  the  old  songs  of 
Ireland  will  be  heard  forever. 

The  tender  love  songs,  the 
merry  dances,  the  stirring 
songs  that  made  men  live 
and  die  for  Ireland — all  of 
these  you  can  hear  on  St. 
Patrick's  Day  on 

The  Edison 

Diamond  Amberola 

with 

Blue  Amberol 

Records 


FOR  THE  "OULD' 

FOLKS  AT  HOME 

The 

songs  of  youth— 

-how 

much 

they  mean   to   those 

whose 

youth  is  gone  forever. 

The 

songs    of    Erin— 

-how 

much 

they  mean  to  Erin's 

children. 

For 

St.      Patrick's 

Day 

there 

are    many    fine 

old 

and  new  Irish  songs  in 

the 

special 

Edison  Blue 
Amberol  List 

Blue  Amberol  Records  of  Irish  Melodies 


Along  the  Rocky  Road  to  Dublin,  Grant 

Premier  Quartet       2817 

Are  You  the  O'Reilly?  Rooney-Emmett,  Tenor   .    .    . 

Billy  Murray  and  Chorus       2655 

Asthore,  Troiere,  Baritone     .    .  Reinald  Werrenrath       2055 
Ballymooney  and  Billy  McGee,  Chin-Chin,  Lawry 

Tenor, Billy  Murray  and  Chorus      2785 

Believe  Me  if  All  Those  Endearing  Young 

Charms,  Moore Anna  Case     28108 

Come  Back  to  Erin,  Claribel,  Tenor   Orville  Harrold     28179 
Eileen  Alannah,  Marble-Thomas,  Tenor  and  Baritone 

Hughes  Macklin  and  David  Brazell     23125 

Famous  Songs  in  Irish  Plays,  Tenor 

Walter  Van  Brunt       1797 

Father  O'Flynn,  Baritone   ....     Frank  Crox ton       1805 
Harp  That  Once  Thro'  Tara's  Halls,  Moore,   Tenor 

Irving  Gillette  and  Chorus       1996 

Irish  Emigrants,  Baker,  Baritone  .    Stanley  Kirkby     23169 
Irish  Eyes  of  Love— Heart  of  Paddy  Whack, 

Ball,  Tenor Frank  X.  Doyle       2599 

It's   a   Long,   Long   Way   to   Tipperary,   Judge- 
Williams,  Baritone 

Albert  Farrington  and  Male  Chorus       2487 

Kathleen  Mavourneen,  Crouch,  Baritone 

Thomas  Chalmers     28164 

Kathleen    Mavourneen,    Crouch,    Contralto   .... 

Mrs.  Clarence  Eddy       1828 

Kerry  Dance,   Molly,   Soprano         Elizabeth  Spencer      2146 
Killarney,  My  Home  O'er  the  Sea,  Logan    .... 

Frank  X.  Doyle  and  Chorus       1958 


Lass  from  the  County  Mayo,  Browne,  Baritone   .    . 

Owen  J.  McCormack 

Little  Bit  of  Heaven— Heart  of  Paddy  Whack, 

Ball,  Tenor Frank  X.  Doyle 

Medley  of  Irish  Airs,   Concertina 

Alexander  Prince 

Molly  Dear,  It's  You  I'm  After,  Pether,  Tenor       .     . 

Walter  Van  Brunt  and  Chorus 

Mother  Machree,  Olcott-Ball,  Tenor 

Walter  Van  Brunt 

My  Girl  from  the  Emerald  Isle,  Bateman-Scolt   .    . 

Jack  Charman 

My  Sweet  Little  Colleen,  Maurice,  Tenor        ..." 

Walter  Van  Brunt 

My  Wild  Irish  Rose,  Olcott,  Tenor 


Walter  Van  Brunt 


Norah  Acushla,  Millard,  Counter-Tenor 

Will  Oakland  and  Chorus 

Norah  McNamara,  0'  Hara,  Tenor    Eugene  Emmet 

She's  the  Daughter  of  Mother  Machree,  Ball,  Tenor 
Burton  Lenihan 

Singer  Was  Irish,  Murphy-Castling,   Bass 

Peter  Dawson 

That's  an  Irish  Lullaby  (Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral)  — 

Chauncey  Olcott's  Shameen  Dhu,  Shannon,  Tenor 
Manuel  Romain 

Wearing  of  the  Green,  Soprano     .    .  Marie  Narelle 

When  I  Dream  of  Old  Erin,  Friedmann,  Tenor   .    . 
Irving  Gillette  and  Chorus 


2142 

2553 

23029 

2797 

2738 

23186 

2816 

2787 

1569 
2338 

2805 

23014 

2555 
1720 

2121 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  MARCH,  1916  19 

Last  Request 

If  you  have  not  yet  done  so,  answer  the  questions 
asked  below,  tear  out  the  page  and  mail  to  us. 

IF  YOU  are  prepared  to  push  the  Edison  Diamond  Amberola  Phonograph  and  the  new 
Blue  Amberol  Records  and  if  you  want  to  be  enrolled  at  the  Edison  Laboratories  as  a 
loyal  and  enthusiastic  dealer  in  the  Edison  cylinder  line  with  whom  we  can  afford  to 
co-operate  closely  and  on  whom  we  may  rely  not  only  vigorously  to  promote  the  sale  of 
Diamond  Amberola  Phonographs,  but  also  to  give  proper  mechanical  and  record  service  to 
persons  who  own  Edison  cylinder  phonographs — then  tear  out  this  page,  answer  the  questions 
and  send  the  page  to  us. 

My  Name  is 

I  am  in  the business  at 

I  handle  the  Edison  Diamond  Amberola  Phonograph  and  Blue  Amberol  Records. 

I  have  at  present  the  following  stock  of  these  goodS:    (Here   enumerate  the  Edison  cylinder   phonographs 

in  stock  and  the  quantity  of  Blue  Amberol  records) 


I   have  on   order 

From 1914,  to 1915,  I  sold  $ (at  list  prices)  worth  of  Edison  cylinder  goods. 

In  1915  I  sold  $ (at  list  prices)  worth  of  Edison  cylinder  goods. 

The  jobber  from  whom  I  buy  Edison  cylinder  goods   is 

Do  you  order  all  of  the  new  Blue  Amberol  records  as  issued  ? 

State  what  territory  you  now  cover 

State  how  many  other  dealers  handling  Edison  cylinder  goods  there  are  in  such  territory  at  present 

How  in  your  opinion  do  your  sales  of  Edison  cylinder   goods  compare  with  the  total   sales  of  these   other 

dealers? 

How  much  additional  territory  could  you  properly  cover?    

How  many  other  dealers  handling  Edison  cylinder  goods  are  operating   in  this  additional  territory? 

How  many  names  and  addresses  of  owners  of  Edison  cylinder  phonographs  in  the  territory  now  covered 

by  you  could  you  give  us  ? 

Of  these,  how  many  own  two-minute  machines  not  yet  equipped  with  the  combination  attachment? 

If  you  think  you  can  cover  additional  territory,  how   many   names   and   addresses   of   cylinder   phonograph 

owners  in  that  additional  territory  could  you  give  us? ^ 

How  many  of  them  have  two-minute  machines  not  yet  equipped  with  combination  attachment? 

Do  you  handle  the  Edison  Diamond  Disc? 

What  other  makes  of  sound  reproducing  devices  do  you  handle  ? 

Are  you  prepared  to  make  a  vigorous  campaign  to  sell   Diamond  Amberola   Phonographs   and   to   revive 
the  record  buying  of  present  owners  of  cylinder  phonographs? 


Jobbers  of  Edison  Amberola  Phonographs 
and  Blue  Amberol  Records 


ALABAMA 

Birmingham — Talking  Machine  Co. 
Mobile — W.  H.  Reynalds. 

CALIFORNIA 

Los  Angeles — Southern  California  Music  Co. 
San  Francisco — Pacific  Phonograph  Co. 

COLORADO 

Denver — Denver  Dry  Goods  Co. 
Hext  Music  Co. 


CONNECTICUT 
New  Haven — Pardee-Ellenberger  Co. 

GEORGIA 

Atlanta — Atlanta  Phonograph  Co. 

Phonographs,  Inc. 
Waycross — Youmans  Jewelry  Co. 

ILLINOIS 

Chicago — Babson  Bros. 

James  I.  Lyons. 

The  Phonograph  Co. 
Peoria — Peoria  Phonograph  Co. 
Quincy — Quincy  Phonograph  Co. 

INDIANA 
Indianapolis — Kipp  Phonograph  Co. 

IOWA 

Des  Moines — Harger  &  Blish. 
Sioux  City — Harger  &  Blish. 

LOUISIANA 
New  Orleans — Diamond  Music  Co.,  Inc. 

MAINE 
Bangor — Chandler  &  Co. 

MARYLAND 
Baltimore — E.  F.  Droop  &  Sons  Co. 

MASSACHUSETTS 

Boston — Iver-Johnson  Sporting  Goods  Co. 

Pardee-Ellenberger  Co. 
Lowell — Thomas  Wardell. 

MICHIGAN 
Detroit — Phonograph  Co.  of  Detroit. 

MINNESOTA 

Minneapolis — Laurence  H.  Lucker. 
St.  Paul— W.  J.  Dyer  &%ro. 

MISSOURI 

Kansas  City — Phonograph  Co.  of  Kansas  City. 

Schmelzer  Arms  Co. 
St.  Louis — Silverstone  Music  Co. 

MONTANA 
Helena — Montana  Phonograph  Co. 


NEBRASKA 


Omaha — Shultz  Bi 


NEW  JERSEY 
Paterson — James  K.  O'Dea. 

NEW  YORK 

Albany — American  Phonograph  Co. 

Finch  &  Hahn. 
Buffalo — W.  D.  Andrews. 

Neal,  Clark  &  Neal  Co. 
Elmira — Elmira  Arms   Co. 
New  York  City — I.  Davega,  Jr.,  Inc. 

J.  F.  Blackman  &  Son. 
S.  B.  Davega  Co. 
The  Phonograph  Corporation  of 
Manhattan. 
Rochester — Talking  Machine  Co. 
Syracuse — Frank  E.  Bolway  &  Son. 

W.  D.  Andrews  Co. 
Utica — Arthur  F.  Ferriss. 
William  Harrison. 

OHIO 

Cincinnati — The  Phonograph  Co. 
Cleveland — The  Phonograph  Co. 

OREGON 
Portland — Pacific  Phonograph  Co. 

PENNSYLVANIA 

Philadelphia — Girard  Phonograph  Co. 
Pittsburgh — Buehn  Phonograph  Co. 
Scranton — Ackerman  &  Co. 
Williamsport — W.  A.  Myers. 

RHODE  ISLAND 
Providence — J.  A.  Foster  Co. 

TEXAS 

Dallas — Texas-Oklahoma  Phonograph  Co. 
El  Paso — El  Paso  Phonograph  Co.,  Inc. 

UTAH 

Ogden — Proudfit  Sporting  Goods  Co. 
Salt  Lake  City — Consolidated  Music  Co. 

VERMONT 
Burlington — American  Phonograph  Co. 

VIRGINIA 
Richmond — C.  B.  Haynes  &  Co. 

WASHINGTON 

Seattle — Pacific  Phonograph  Co.,  N.  W. 
Spokane — Pacific  Phonograph  Co.,  N.  W. 

WISCONSIN 
Milwaukee— The  Phonograph  Co.,  of  Milwaukee. 

CANADA 

Calgary— R.  S.  Williams  &  Sons  Co.,  Ltd. 
Montreal — R.  S.  Williams  &  Sons  Co.,  Ltd. 
St.  John— W.  H.  Thorne  &  Co.,  Ltd. 
Toronto — R.  S.  Williams  &  Sons  Co.,  Ltd. 
Vancouver — Kent  Piano  Co.,  Ltd. 
Winnipeg — Babson  Bros. 

R.  S.  Williams  &  Sons  Co.,  Ltd. 


m?  EDISON 

PHONOGRAPH 

MONTHLY 


VOL.    XIV 


APRIL,  1916 


NO.  4 


I 


CESARE   SODERO,  CONDUCTOR  OF  SODEROS  BAND 


Announcement  of  Uniform  Selling  Date 
for  Blue  Amberol  Records 

MONTHLY    LIST    OF    NEW   RECORDS    TO    BE    EVERYWHERE 

PLACED  ON  SALE  AT  RETAIL  ON  THE  25th 

OF  THE  PRECEDING  MONTH 


Our  fire  of  December,  1914,  caused  a  delay  of  a  month  in  beginning 
in  the  re-manufacture  of  Blue  Amberol  Records.  Rather  than  wait  still 
another  month  to  resume  the  old  plan  of  putting  the  records  on  retail 
sale  on  the  same  date  everywhere,  it  was  decided  to  try  out  the  plan  of 
permitting  them  to  be  sold  as  soon  as  they  reached  dealers. 

The  plan  was  welcomed  as  having  some  advantages,  particularly  in 
view  of  the  shortage  of  new  selections  due  to  the  fire.  When  the  incon- 
venience caused  by  the  fire  had  been  largely  overcome  dealers  began  to 
express  a  preference  for  a  fixed  selling  date.  Recently  this  preference 
became  so  pronounced  that  it  was  accepted  as  representing  the  sentiment 
of  the  trade,  and  bulletins  to  Jobbers  and  Dealers  were  issued.  That  to 
Dealers,  dated  March  17th,  was  as  follows: 

"There  is  a  justified  demand  on  the  part  of  the  dealers  that  we  establish  a  retail  sales 
date  for  Blue  Amberol  Records. 

"We  are  going  to  work  toward  this  as  rapidly  as  possible,  and  we  think  we  can  work  the 
proposition  out  in  the  following  manner: 

"Under  our  present  schedule,  shipments  to  jobbers  of  the  so-called  May  Supplement  can 
probably  be  started  on  or  about  April  15th.  We  have  decided  to  call  this  the  May-June  Sup- 
plement, and  endeavor  to  complete  our  shipments,  commencing  west  and  working  eastward, 
about  May  20th.  This  will  permit  us  to  name  May  25th  as  the  retail  sales  date  for  the  May- 
June  supplement. 

"The  July  supplement  will  go  on  retail  sale  June  24,  as  the  25th  falls  on  Sunday. 

"Since  we  have  advised  all  jobbers  that  supplemental  orders  must  be  received  not  later 
than  the  10th  of  the  month  preceding  the  month  in  which  the  supplement  goes  on  sale,  it  is 
very  important  that  dealers  send  their  orders  in  as  soon  as  they  are  solicited  by  the  jobbers." 

The  adoption  of  this  plan  will  standardize  the  Blue  Amberol  Record  business  and 
place  it  on  a  more  efficient  basis.  The  retail  release  on  the  same  day  throughout  the  country 
will  afford  an  advertising  feature  that  will  call  attention  to  the  records,  and  it  will  give 
all  dealers  an  equal  chance  in  disposing  of  them. 

It  is  going  to  be  another  one  of  those  stimulating  innovations  that  are  increasing  the 
activity  of  the  Amberola  line,  and  that  are  turning  the  attention  of  dealers  to  the  wonderful 
possibilities  the  Amberola  line  presents. 


The  Edison 
Phonograph  Monthly 


Volume  XIV 


APRIL,  1916 


Number  4 


Published  in  the  interest  of 

EDISON  AMBEROLA  PHONOGRAPHS 

AND 

BLUE  AMBEROL  RECORDS 

By  Thomas  A.  Edison,  Inc. 

ORANGE,  N.  J.,  U.  S.  A. 

Foreign  Offices: 

164  WARDOUR  ST.,  LONDON,  W.  ENGLAND 

364-372  KENT  STREET,  SYDNEY,  N.  S.  W. 

3  YORKSTRASSE,   BERLIN 
59  RUE  DES  PETITES-ECURIES,  PARIS 


EDITORIAL 
Prosperity 

The  general  prosperity  of  our  country,  due  to 
the  industrial  activity  that  has  resulted  from  the 
war  in  Europe,  should  make  this  year  an  excep- 
tionally profitable  one  for  dealers  in  Edison  phono- 
graphs. 

Fortunate  investments,  steady  work,  increased 
salaries  and  other  evidences  of  good  times,  have 
brought  thousands  of  people  more  money  than  they 
ever  had  before. 

The  total  sum  that  will  be  spent  by  these  people 
for  voice-reproducing  machines  during  the  next  few 
months  is  so  large  that  it  will  pay  the  Amberola 
dealer  to  make  exceptional  efforts  to  secure  all  the 
trade  that  he  can. 

Under  present  conditions  an  advertising  appro- 
priation or  the  stimulation  of  sales  by  some  other 
means  that  require  the  expenditure  of  a  limited  and 
reasonable  sum  of  money  seem  to  be  perfectly  jus- 
tifiable and  entirely  in  keeping  with  sound  business 
policy. 


Encouragement 

"Shake — and  let's  get  acquainted,"  commences 
a  letter  that  is  printed  at  greater  length  in  another 
part  of  this  issue. 

This  is  just  what  we  have  been  trying  to  do 
for  some  time  past,  and  this  communication, 
breathing  a  spirit  of  fraternity  and  optimism,  indi- 
cates that  our  endeavors  to  create  a  strong  spirit 
of  co-operation  among  those  who  are  interested  in 
the  sale  of  the  Amberol  line  are  not  being  made 
in  vain. 

Each  dealer  who  handles  Amberolas  or  Amberol 
records  should  read  this  letter  carefully. 


He  will  find  it  an  expression  of  the  ideal  rela- 
tions that  should  exist  between  us  all. 

And,  from  a  business  standpoint,  it  will  convince 
him  that  the  Amberola  line  is  decidedly  an  active 
proposition. 


"Edison" 

It  is  an  unwise  dealer  who  is  not  taking  full 
advantage  of  the  wonderful  prestige  of  the  name 
"Edison,"  because  there  is  no  asset  in  all  the  wide 
range  of  the  phonograph  business  that  can  compare 
in  value  with  the  name  of  the  inventor  of  the 
phonograph. 

Thomas  A.  Edison  is  one  of  the  great  men  of  this 
age  and  one  of  the  greatest  figures  in  the  annals 
of  civilization. 

If  you  will  do  all  you  can  to  keep  this  before 
prospective  buyers  of  machines,  or  before  those  who 
may  become  prospective  purchasers,  and  if  you  will 
impress  them  with  the  absurdity  of  thinking  that 
such  a  genius  would  let  his  name  be  used  in  con- 
nection with  any  but  the  most  perfect  of  voice- 
reproducing  instruments,  it  will  assist  you  wonder- 
fully in  selling  the  Amberola  line. 


Friendly  Interest 

There  is  no  more  certain  way  to  secure  and  hold 
patronage  than  by  taking  a  friendly  interest  in 
your  customer  and  making  him  feel  that  you  value 
his  personal  esteem  as  much,  if  not  more,  than  you 
do  his  business. 

While  the  bounds  of  friendly  interest  are  diffi- 
cult to  fix  and  the  manner  of  showing  it  will  vary 
according  to  the  characteristics  r  each  customer, 
the  term  is  one  that  seems  adequately  to  define  itself. 
By  tactful  conversation  and  careful  attention  make 
a  customer  feel  that  you  value  his  friendship  above 
his  trade.  Friendly  interest  is  a  higher  attainment 
than  uninterested  efficiency.  It  makes  friends  as 
well  as  customers,  and  friends  boost  while  cus- 
tomers only  buy. 

In  order  to  show  your  friendly  interest  you  must 
talk.  You  must  talk  in  order  to  make  your  cus- 
tomer talk. 

And,  above  all  things,  listen  to  his  conversation 
and  endeavor  to  sympathize  with  his  opinions  and 
his  ideas. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  APRIL,  1916 


Stand  by  his  side  and  try  to  get  his  viewpoint, 
and,  even  if  you  do  not  get  it,  you  make  a  friend 
by  trying. 

And  don't  simulate  an  interest — take  an  interest. 


Mutual  Aid 

UNDER  the  modern  industrial  system,  in  which 
every  line  of  endeavor  is  specialized,  the  in- 
dividual practically  is  powerless  to  exist  or 
progress  alone.  Advancement  or  improvement  in 
any  way  is  dependent  on  co-operation,  and  success 
is  impossible  in  any  business  unless  there  is  loyalty 
and  united  effort  on  the  part  of  each  person  engaged 
in  it. 

Each  dealer  in  Amberolas  and  Blue  Amberol 
Records  is  an  important  factor  in  the  Amberola 
organization,  and  we  desire  you  all  to  come  to  a 
full  realization  of  this  fact.  To  a  large  extent  we 
are  all  mutually  dependent  and  the  ideas  of  the 
dealer  in  a  little  hamlet  may  be  adaptable  to  the 
business  of  a  metropolitan  dealer,  while  parts  of 
methods  used  by  the  latter  may  be  used  to  increase 
the  sales  and  profits  of  the  dealer  whose  oppor- 
tunities are  circumscribed  and  whose  sales  have 
been  small. 

We  want  to  make  the  Phonograph  Monthly  a 
clearing-house  where  dealers  who  are  alive  to  the 
value  of  co-operation  can  meet  for  their  mutual 
benefit,  and  we  ask  all  dealers  who  are  interested 
in  the  selling  of  the  Amberola  line  to  increase  their 
efficiency  by  the  liberal  use  of  our  clearing-house. 
Let  your  various  ideas  meet  here.  Tell  us  and  your 
fellow-dealers  about  the  whys  and  hows  of  your 
successes  or  failures,  and  you  can  be  certain  that 
you  will  be  addressing  an  intensely  interested  and 
highly  appreciative  audience. 


MORE  NEW  DEALERS 

New  dealers  continue  to  line  up  under  the  Edison 
Amberola  standard.  Since  the  March  issue  of  the 
Phonograph  Monthly  thirty-six  dealers  in  various 
parts  of  the  country  have  gone  into  the  business  of 
selling  Edison  Diamond  Amberolas  and  Blue  Am- 
berol Records.  Fourteen  of  these  dealers  will 
handle  only  the  cylinder  line  and  eight  of  them 
are  former  disc  dealers  who  have  seen  the  oppor- 
tunities in  the  Edison  Diamond  Amberola  and  who 
will  handle  it  in  the  future.  The  other  fourteen  in 
the  list  are  new  Edison  dealers  who  will  handle 
both  the  disc  and  cylinder  instruments  and  records. 

NEW  DEALERS— AMBEROL  ONLY 

Lenhart  Drug  Co.,  Bismarck,  N.  D. 

Turtle  Lake  Drug  Co.,  Turtle  Lake,  N.  D. 

Owl   Drug  Store,  Ronan,  Mont. 

Willis  Wolfe,  Meade,  Kans. 

Fedullo  Music  Co.,   Philadelphia,   Pa. 

F.  B.  Houghton,  Ottawa,  Kans. 

Peter  E.  Schulstad,  Dogden,  Minn. 

D.    McGregor,    Morewood,    Ont.,    Can. 


T.  D.  Wootin,  Lumber  City,  Ga. 
Herzog  &  Spindler,  Chicago,  111. 
M.   Rabin,    Chicago,    111. 
Levy  Brothers,  Newburgh,  N.  Y. 

E.  I.  Stroman,  Uvalde,  Texas. 

A.  W.  Hanson,  LaCrosse,  Wis. 

NEW  DEALERS— AMBEROLA  AND  DISC 

B.  L.   Conchar,   Springfield,   Mass. 
Frank  Bangs,  Dodge  City,  Kans. 
Puffinburg  Furniture  Co.,  Wilkinsburg,  Pa. 
Rosser-Smith  Furniture  Co.,  Pratt,  Kans. 
Mrs.  T.  Kaiser,  Muscoda,  Wis. 

Western  Automatic  Music  Co.,  Dallas,  Texas. 

Cooey-Bentz  Co.,  Wheeling,  W.  Va. 

Jones  &  Briles,  Chariton,  la. 

J.  B.  Currie,  Mt.  Ayr,  la. 

T.  J.  Thomas,  Aberdeen,  Wash. 

Turner  Brothers  Pharmacy,  Sidney,  Mont. 

J.  P.  Nelson,  Yankton,  S.  D. 

F.  J.  Davis,  Fayette,  la. 

Miller  Mercantile  Co.,  Memphis,  Tenn. 

PREVIOUS  DISC  DEALERS  TAKING  ON 
AMBEROL 

A.  L.  Arvidson  Piano  Co.,  Denver,  Cole. 

C.  C.  Morrison,  Barron,   Wis. 
Runnerburger  Bros.  &  Co.,  Harrisonville,  Mo. 
H.  M.  Russell  &  Co.,  Pilot  Point,  Texas. 
Easterbrook  Bros.,  Saybrook,  111. 

W.  Hamachek.  Jr.,  Kewaunee,  Wis. 

Sam  Little,  Raymond,  Wash. 

H.  W.  Thompson  &  Co.,  Hackensack,  N.  J. 


ONE  FORM  OF  ADVERTISEMENT 
THAT  ALWAYS  WILL  BE  READ 

If  there  is  a  vaudeville  show  in  your  city  in 
which  an  Amberol  singer  is  appearing,  and  in 
which  any  of  the  Amberola  selections  are  being 
sung,  you  have  an  opportunity  to  do  some  clever 
advertising  that  will  be  read  by  every  person  who 
attends  the  show  and  reads  the  program. 

Vaudeville  programs  are  usually  arranged  so 
that  the  various  acts  appear  under  the  letters  of 
the  alphabet.  If  there  are  eight  acts  in  a  show  the 
last  letter  on  the  program  will  be  "H."  If  there  is 
anything  that  you  want  to  call  to  the  attention  of 
the  audience,  contract  for  a  space  of  the  size  used 
by  the  theatre  to  present  the  acts,  arrange  a  lay- 
out so  that  your  ad  will  appear  as  much  as  possible 
like  the  announcement  of  an  act  and  insert  a  letter 
"I"  in  a  similar  position  to  those  occupied  by  the 
letters  in  the  actual  program  of  acts. 

Have  your  ad  run  directly  under  "H"  in  the  pro- 
gram and  if  there  is  anyone  in  any  of  the  audience 
who  does  not  read  your  ad,  thinking  that  it  is  an 
additional  act,  it  will  be  because  he  or  she  does  not 
read  the  program. 

Remember  that  theatre  programs  are  made  up 
several  days  in  advance  of  the  beginning  of  a  show 
and  that  you  will  have  to  provide  advance  copy  in 
order  to  get  your  space  in  a  program  for  any  par- 
ticular week. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  APRIL,  1916 


"Shake — Let's  Get  Acquainted" 

HERE   is  something  that  expresses  in  an  admirable  way  the  spirit  of  co-operation  that 
should  exist  among  those  who  are  working  for  the  success  of  the  Amberola  line — the 
spirit  of  co-operation  that  means  easy  success  for  all  if  it  is  present,  and  without  which 
it  is  impossible  to  obtain  the  full  benefits  that  may  be  derived  from  the  line. 

But  no  introduction  that  can  be  written  is  half  so  powerful  and  expressive  as  this  letter. 
So  we  let  it  speak  for  itself. 

Editor  Phonograph  Monthly: — 

Shake — let's  get  acquainted.  You  have  been  extending  your  hand  for  three  months  and  we  must 
now  confess  that  we  are  ashamed  for  not  coming  across  at  an  earlier  date.  The  last  few  issues  of  the 
Monthly  have  shown  so  much  pep  that  it  reminds  us  of  the  good  old  days  when  we  ordered  as  high  as 
150  single  numbers  from  a  new  monthly  list  and  we  can  hardly  make  up  our  minds  that  it  is  not  all 
a  dream. 

We  handle  the  Amberola  line  exclusively  and  have  the  greatest  confidence  in  its  success,  and 
believe  that  there  is  no  other  instrument  on  the  market  that  has  anything  on  the  Amberola  line,  regard- 
less of  price,  and  the  field  for  selling  is  practically  unlimited. 

In  your  January  and  February  issues  you  urged  all  dealers  to  stock  up  with  certain  numbers  of 
British  records  as  well  as  concert  and  grand  opera.  We  carry  at  least  one  each  of  everything  in  the 
American  catalog  and  from  two  to  fifteen  of  the  best  sellers.  Last  December  we  secured  from  the  fac- 
tory a  shipment  of  about  150  records  from  the  British  and  Mexican  catalogs  (practically  all  instru- 
mental) and  in  less  than  ten  days  most  all  were  sold,  and  we  are  to-day  sending  in  our  order  for  206 
foreign  records.  In  your  February  issue  you  indicate  that  you  will  gladly  co-operate  with  dealers  and 
endeavor  to  secure  for  them  better  service  and  we  want  to  give  you  this  opportunity  to  prove  your  worth 

along  these   lines. 

Phonograph  and  Cycle  Co.,  Columbus,  Ohio. 


MECHANICAL  INSTRUCTORS 

The  mechanical  instructing  staff  maintained  by 
Thomas  A.  Edison,  Inc.,  for  the  benefit  of  Edison 
phonograph  dealers,  has  been  increased  by  the 
addition  of  two  new  instructors.  George  A.  Cum- 
mings  has  been  assigned  to  territory  on  the  Coast 
and  E.  E.  Bedford  will  care  for  the  dealers  in  the 
Atlanta  Zone.  Both  are  skilled  phonograph 
mechanics  and  their  work  will  be  very  advanta- 
geous to  dealers  who  appreciate  the  importance  of 
understanding  how  to  handle  the  mechanical  diffi- 
culties that  arise  in  their  business.  The  members 
of  the  staff  of  Edison  mechanical  instructors  are 
now  distributed   as  follows: 

Edward  Trautwein  —  Bangor,  Boston,  New 
Haven,  Albany  and  Syracuse  Zones. 

J.  E.  Knipper— New  York,  Philadelphia,  Will- 
iamsport  and  Richmond  Zones. 

James  Finlayson — Cleveland,  Cincinnati,  De- 
troit, Indianapolis  and  Pittsburgh  Zones. 

E.  E.  Bedford — Atlanta  Zone. 

A.  E.  Schiller — Chicago,  Milwaukee,  Minne- 
apolis, Des  Moines  and  Sioux  City  Zones. 

D.  Lawson — St.  Louis,  Kansas  City,  Omaha, 
Denver,   Ogden   and  Helena  Zones. 

Joseph  McCloskey — New  Orleans,  Dallas  and  El 
Paso  Zones. 

George  A.  Cummings — Los  Angeles,  San  Fran- 
cisco, Portland,  Seattle  and  Spokane  Zones. 


Mr.  Cummings  will  also  visit  the  Vancouver 
Jobber.  The  Winnipeg  and  Calgary  Jobbers  will 
be  taken  care  of  by  one  of  the  two  Supervisors 
whose  territories  are  contiguous. 

The  Eastern  Canadian  Jobbers  and  Dealers 
were  recently  visited  by  Joseph  B.  D.  Gambee, 
Mechanical  Instructor,  who  has  since  returned  to 
the  factory. 


THE  AMBEROLA  WINS 

"Under  the  caption  of  "Can  You  Beat  It?" 
W.  D.  Hathaway,  proprietor  of  Hathaway's  Sport- 
ing Goods  Store,  New  Bedford,  Mass.,  writes  as 
follows : 

"When  the  Amberola  V  first  came  out  I  sold  one 
to  a  customer  who  had  an  old  model  A  Home 
Phonograph,  on  which  I  had  put  a  four-minute 
attachment.  A  friend  of  his  wanted  to  buy  one  but 
was  afraid  he  would  not  get  one  so  good.  After 
working  on  him  for  a  year,  he  came  in  the  store 
just  before  Christmas  and  wanted  to  take  an  in- 
strument (Amberola  V)  down  to  his  friend's  house 
so  he  could  try  it  out  alongside  of  his.  When  I 
got  down  there  I  found  he  had  had  {here  three  of 
the  most  expensive  machines  on  the  market  are 
named)  sent  down  to  enter  the  competition  also. 
After  they  were  thoroughly  tried  out,  one  against 
the  other,  I  landed  the  sale  with  my  Amberola  V." 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  APRIL,  1916 


How  Do  You  Select  Your  New  Records  ? 


IF  you  do  not  have  a  standing  order  for  the  entire 
list  of  Blue  Amberol  records  each  month,  how 
do  you  select  the   records  that  you  desire   and 
reject    those    that    you    do    not    believe    would    be 
salable? 

We  want  to  ask  each  one  of  our  dealers  to  con- 
sider this  subject,  because  it  is  an  important  one  to 
you  and  to  us.  We  want  you  to  be  frank  in  your 
analysis  of  your  method  of  making  selections  and, 
if  you  are,  we  believe  that  the  majority  of  you  will 
find  that  you  largely  judge  the  merits  of  the  records 
in  advance  lists  by  their  titles.  If  a  title  indicates 
a  pleasing  musical  conception,  and  has  qualities 
that  you  feel  will  attract  the  attention  of  your 
patronage,  you  order  the  record.  If  the  title  is  not 
descriptive  or  if  the  idea  suggested  by  it  is  not 
appealing  you  are  strongly  inclined  to  reject  it. 

While  the  error  of  making  selections  in  this  way 
is  a  natural  one,  it  is  costing  many  dealers  a  lot 
of  patronage  and  losing  them  considerable  trade 
and  profits. 

What  could  be  more  attractive  or  more  appealing 
at  this  season  of  the  year  than  the  title  of  Sinding's 
"Rustle  of  Spring."  It  suggests  the  unfolding  of 
blossoms  and  the  soft  murmurs  of  the  fragrant 
zephyrs  of  spring,  and  you  feel  that  if  a  composer 
has  used  the  awakening  of  Spring  as  a  theme  for 
a  musical  number  that  you  would  like  to  listen  to  it. 
But  what  idea  would  a  number  bring  to  the 
unmusical  if  it  was  listed  like  this:  Nocturne,  E 
Flat,  Chopin,  Op.  9,  No.  2.  As  a  music  dealer 
you  are  familiar  with  the  number,  perhaps,  but  how 
many  of  your  customers  are?  And  even  if  you  are 
familiar  with  this  particular  number,  it  is  by  no 
means  likely  that  you  are  familiar  with  all  the 
instrumental  selections  that  are  simply  listed  under 
their  form,  name  of  composer,  opus  and  number. 

And  yet  the  majority  of  the  most  beautiful  musi- 
cal compositions  are  probably  listed  under  titles 
just  as  inexpressive  as  that  of  the  Chopin  nocturne 
referred  to  above.  Certainly  the  majority  of  the 
numbers  by  composers  who  might  be  classed  as  old 
masters  are  catalogued  in  this  way  and  many  of 
the  most  beautiful  of  modern  pieces  are  designated 
in  the  same  manner.  The  tendency  of  the  present 
time  is  to  name  a  selection  from  the  scene  or  emo- 
tion that  is  supposed  to  have  inspired  it,  but  Chopin 
and  the  other  famous  musicians  of  other  days  sel- 
dom named  the  melodies  in  which  they  revealed 
their  emotions.  Of  course  Sinding's  "Rustle  of 
Spring"  is  a  beautiful  selection,  but  the  Chopin 
nocturne  is  just  as  melodious  and  harmonious,  and 
it  is  probable  that  the  majority  of  educated  musi- 
cians would  find  the  latter  number  more  to  their 
taste  than  the  former. 


How  to  get  numbers  that  are  not  attractively 
named  before  you  is  one  of  our  problems. 

With  your  co-operation  the  solution  of  the  prob- 
lem seems  to  be  comparatively  simple. 

We  want  you  to  have  confidence  that  every  record 
every  month,  regardless  of  name  or  designation,  is 
a  good  one  and  one  that  will  appeal  to  some  among 
your  customers. 

Every  record  may  not  appeal  to  every  customer, 
but  we  believe  that  there  is  a  sufficient  range  of 
tastes  among  the  patrons  of  every  dealer  to  make 
every  record  every  month  a  salable  one. 

We  sincerely  believe  that  the  great  majority  of 
our  dealers  would  find  it  highly  satisfactory  and 
profitable  to  place  a  standing  order  for  the  monthly 
productions  and  abandon  the  old  haphazard  method 
of  attempting  to  select  the  best  records  from  each 
list  by  depending  on  what  knowledge  of  each  num- 
ber you  may  happen  to  have  and  on  the  attractive- 
ness of  the  name  or  the  idea  suggested  by  a  title. 
We  have  the  conviction  that  the  latter  method  is 
commonly  used  in  ordering  records  and,  knowing 
how  utterly  impossible  it  is  to  select  desirable  num- 
bers in  this  way,  we  believe  that  it  is  causing 
Amberola  dealers  to  neglect  some  of  the  most  choice 
productions  of  the  Edison  laboratory,  with  a  con- 
sequent loss  to  them  of  business  and  profits. 

Consider  the  extent  and  the  high  quality  of  the 
musical  organization  that  is  maintained  by  the 
Edison  Company  and  that  is  engaged  in  the  produc- 
tion of  Blue  Amberols.  Are  you  not  confident  of 
the  ability  of  such  an  organization  to  select  num- 
bers for  reproduction  that  are  musically  attractive, 
whether  or  not  they  have  expressive  and  magnetic 
titles?  We  take  the  position  that  no  record  that  has 
the  qualifications  demanded  by  the  Edison  musical 
critics  can  fail  to  prove  attractive  to  the  class  of 
people  for  which  it  is  intended.  And  further,  we 
believe  that  proper  sales  methods  will  convince  a 
phonograph  owner  of  any  class  that  each  record 
each  month  has  its  own  particular  charm  and 
attraction. 

We  would  like  to  have  every  Edison  dealer  order 
every  Blue  Amberol  record  every  month,  because 
we  are  confident  that  only  by  this  means  can  our 
representatives  take  full  advantage  of  the  oppor- 
tunities offered  by  the  Blue  Amberol   line. 


If  you  are  a  dealer  in  a  small  town  always  have 
an  item  in  your  town  paper  when  you  sell  a 
machine  and,  if  possible,  secure  the  permission  of 
the  person  who  purchased  it  to  use  his  name  with 
the  item.  Remember  that  every  time  people  see  the 
name  "Edison"  in  print  it  aids  you  in  making  a 
sale  somewhere  and  sometime. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  APRIL,  1916 


Window  Display  for  the 
Easter  Season 


THE  Easter  season  offers  many  opportunities 
for  elaborate  window  displays  because  of 
the  many  attractive  and  beautiful  features  of 
the  celebration  of  this  holiday. 

The  origin  of  Easter  made  it  a  season  of  flowers 
and  music,  and  the  adaptation  of  the  pagan  festival 
by  Christianity  added  a  most  sacred  significance 
to  it.  As  it  stands  to-day  it  is  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  of  all  our  holidays,  and  its  symbols  are 
capable  of  forming  the  most  exquisite  combinations 
for  window  displays.  As  it  is  essentially  a  holiday 
of  flowers  and  music,  it  is  to  nature  and  art  that 
the  decorator  must  look  for  his  materials.  The  lily, 
with  its  graceful  lines  and  its  beautiful  blossoms, 
is  an  ideal  flower  to  use  in  floral  decorations  at 
this  time  of  the  year,  and  the  Amberola  will  add 
the  musical  touch  that  is  so  essential  in  any  Easter 
window.  As  a  hint  to  dealers  who  are  in  search 
of  novelty  we  suggest  that  some  other  flower  than 
the  lily  be  used  in  trimming  Easter  windows,  as 
by  this  means  you  will  depart  from  the  conventional 
and  secure  a  unique  and  striking  effect. 

In  case  you  desire  to  use  lilies  we  suggest  that 
you  arrange  a  semi-circle  of  the  plants  for  a  back- 


ground for  a  Model  75  Amberola.  A  card  should 
then  be  secured  containing  some  suitable  design, 
of  which  the  following  may  be  taken  as  types:  "The 
Flowers  of  Easter — the  Music  of  Easter"  or  "The 
Perfect  Flower  and  the  Perfect  Phonograph." 
Another  card  or  a  record  list  should  be  used  to 
impress  the  public  that  the  machine  is  an  Amberola. 

For  another  window,  a  little  more  elaborate  in 
arrangement,  we  suggest  that  a  model  of  an  old 
lady  or  an  old  man  be  placed  in  a  listening  posture 
near  an  Amberola.  Let  the  furnishings  of  the  room 
be  very  humble  and  the  machine  may  be  one  of  the 
portable  type.  The  display  should  be  called  "Easter 
Voices,"  and  it  should  be  very  appealing  and  attrac- 
tive. The  title  gives  the  opportunity  for  a  single- 
record  display,  as  you  can  explain,  by  means  of  a 
card,  that  the  figure  is  listening  to  a  rendition  of 
"Jesus  Christ  is  Risen  To-Day"  (Blue  Amberol 
Record  No.  2578),  sung  by  the  Edison  Mixed 
Quartet. 

The  plans  for  these  two  windows  are  only  in  the 
nature  of  suggestions,  and  each  dealer  who  handles 
Amberolas  will  undoubtedly  be  able  to  originate 
displays  even  more  striking. 


PHONOGRAPHS  SUPERSEDING 
ORGANS 

It  will  be  of  interest  to  those  who  deal  in  both 
phonographs  and  organs  to  learn  that  the  Cornish 
Organ  Company  of  Washington,  N.  J.,  after  being 
successfully  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  organs 
for  nearly  a  half-century,  recently  announced  that 
plans  are  under  way  to  commence  to  manufacture 
phonograph  cases  in  order  to  meet  the  reduction  in 
its  organ  business. 

The  concern  admits  that  the  market  for  organs 
practically  has  passed  away,  mainly  because  of  the 
inroads  that  have  been  made  by  the  phonograph  in 
a  few  short  years.  The  development,  with  others 
of  a  similar  nature,  give  dealers  in  musical  instru- 
ments some  idea  of  the  trend  of  business  and  indi- 
cate what  a  wide  field  the  phonograph  is  filling. 


TYPEWRITING  STUDENTS  WORK 

TO  THE  MELODY  OF  THE 

LATEST  DANCE  HITS 

A  phonograph  is  being  used  in  connection  with 
instruction  in  typewriting  and  English  in  the  Ithaca 
High  School. 

In  the  typewriting  department  one-step  and  fox- 
trot music  is  played  and  the  students  are  expected 


to  keep  pace  with  the  rhythm  of  the  music.  It  is 
claimed  that  this  is  an  excellent  way  to  increase 
speed  in  the  use  of  the  typewriter  and  to  give  the 
beginner  the  sense  of  rhythm  that  is  so  essential 
in  high-grade  and  speedy  typewriting. 

In  the  English  department  the  machine  is  used  in 
teaching  correct  pronunciation  and  enunciation,  and 
it  has  been  found  to  be  highly  efficient  for  this  pur- 
pose. In  addition  to  the  part  it  takes  in  the  educa- 
tion of  the  pupils,  it  adds  greatly  to  their  pleasure 
on  the  various  occasions  when  social  affairs  are 
given. 


OLD  VIOLINS  AND  NEW  EDISONS 

R.  S.  Williams  &  Sons  Co.,  Ltd.,  Edison  Jobbers 
at  Toronto,  Montreal,  Winnipeg  and  Calgary,  have 
published  a  series  of  interesting  little  booklets  deal- 
ing exclusively  with  the  old  violin  department  of 
their  business.  This  department  is  the  particular 
and  special  business  and  hobby  of  the  firm's  presi- 
dent, R.  S.  Williams.  The  late  R.  S.  Williams, 
father  of  the  present  "R.  S.,"  started  the  collecting 
of  old  fiddles.  He  gradually  acquired  what  is  con- 
sidered one  of  the  most  complete  and  most  costly 
private  collections  in  the  world,  including  the  addi- 
tions made  since  his  death  by  the  present  head  of 
the  firm. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  APRIL,  1916 


Doings  of  Edison  Artists 


In  Naples,  at  the  San  Carlo,  the  twenty-fifth  anni- 
versary of  the  first  presentation  at  Naples  of  "Cav- 
alleria  Rusticana"  was  observed  by  a  presentation 
of  this  famous  opera.  Pietro  Mascagni,  the  com- 
poser of  the  music  of  the  opera,  conducted  its  recent 
presentation.  Two  of  the  best  known  melodies  and 
songs  from  "Cavalleria  Rusticana"  are  Siciliana 
and  the  popular  Intermezzo.  There  are  Blue  Am- 
berol  records  of  both  of  these  numbers,  the  first 
being  sung  by  Riccardo  Martin,  tenor,  in  Italian, 
and  the  second,  combined  with  Siciliana,  being 
played  by  the  American  Standard  Orchestra. 


Albert  Spalding,  who  recently  returned  from 
Havana  after  a  triumphant  appearance  there,  is 
being  rapidly  booked  for  concerts  in  this  country. 
During  the  next  few  weeks  this  world  famous  Blue 
Amberol  violinist  will  appear  no  less  than  three 
times  in  New  York  City.  He  will  also  play  in 
Chicago.  His  spring  schedule:  April  1,  New 
York;  April  2,  New  York;  April  3,  Easton,  Pa.; 
April  5,  Willimantic,  Conn.;  April  12,  Utica,  N. 
Y.;   April   23,   Chicago,   111.;   April  27,  New  York. 

Reed  Miller,  the  widely  known  oratorio  and  con- 
cert tenor,  who  has  made  so  many  Edison  Blue 
Amberol  records  and  who  is  so  popular  among  Edi- 
son instrument  owners,  celebrated  his  thirty-sixth 
birthday  on  March  7.  The  birthday  of  Mr.  Mille 
really  falls  on  February  29,  so  the  affair  at  which 
he  was  the  guest  of  honor  on  March  7  was  only 
his  ninth  party.  It  was  a  costume  affair  and  Mr. 
Miller  appeared  in  a  replica  of  the  apparel  that 
he  donned  habitually  when  he  I. ad  accumulated 
nine  actual  years  of  living.  Nevada  Van  Der  Veer, 
otherwise  Mrs.  Reed  Miller,  wore  a  calico  creation 
that  made  her  appear  in  harmony  with  her  juvenile 
partner.  Many  members  of  the  Mendelssohn  Glee 
Club  were  present,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Miller  were 
presented  with  a  silver  service.  The  guests  were 
many,  among  them  being  Harvey  Hindermeyer  and 
Frederick  Wheeler,  both  noted  Edison   artists. 


Albert  Spalding,  America's  foremost  violinist, 
who  has  made  some  charming  and  beautiful  records 
for  the  Blue  Amberol  catalog,  recently  delighted 
Havana  musicians  by  the  power  of  his  playing. 
Here  is  what  Alberto  Ruiz,  a  noted  Cuban  critic, 
wrote  in  El  Mundo  of  the  appearance  of  Spalding 
in  Havana: 

"Spalding  won  !  It  had  to  be  so.  I  had  heard  the 
genial  violinist  play  during  my  recent  visit  to  New 
York,  and  the  opinion  which  I  got  there  was  con- 
firmed last  night.  As  to  many  thousands  of  others 
who  have  had  the  happiness  of  hearing  Spalding,  I 


will  say  that  he  is  a  magician  with  his  bow  and 
violin. 

"Last  night's  concert  was  an  artistic  sensation. 
For  many  years  we  have  not  had  in  Havana  an 
artist  of  such  strength  as  the  genial  Spalding.  It  is 
a  great  pity  that  his  stay  among  us  should  not  be  a 
longer  one. 

"The  audience  was  delighted,  and  some  persons 
who  had  heard  Sarasate  declared  that  Spalding 
belonged  to  the  same  school  and  had  the  wonderful 
power  of  that  great  violinist." 


Reed  Miller,  tenor,  is  among  the  singers  whose 
voice  has  been  heard  across  the  continent  lately  over 
the  long  distance  telephone.  Mr.  Miller  has  re- 
ceived a  postal  card  from  the  composer,  Charles 
Wakefield  Cadman,  in  which  he  says:  "Your 
'Drummer  Boy  Song'  sounded  bully  last  night  over 
3,500  miles.  Leonard  Liebling  and  I  sat  together 
and  marveled.  Wasn't  the  stunt  thrilling?  We 
could  hear  every  note,  and  the  piano,  too." 


Glen  Ellison,  Edison  Blue  Amberol  artist,  is 
adding  considerably  to  his  popularity  in  a  very 
successful  tour  of  several  of  the  large  Eastern 
cities.  During  March  he  appeared  for  three  con- 
secutive weeks  in  New  York  and  Brooklyn.  He 
opens  an  engagement  in  Providence,  R.  I.,  April 
2nd  and  from  there  he  goes  to  Boston  for  the  week 
beginning  April  9th.  His  records,  Nos.  2689,  2696, 
2667,  2727  and  23403,  are  representative  of  the 
songs  that  have  made  him  a  favorite  with  patrons 
of  vaudeville  throughout  the  country. 


Herman  Sandby,  the  noted  violoncellist,  has  an- 
nounced that  he  will  sever  his  connections  with 
the  Philadelphia  Orchestra  at  the  end  of  this 
season  and  locate  in  New  York,  where  he  will 
devote  his  time  to  solo  playing  and  composing.  Mr. 
Sandby,  who  has  been  one  of  the  Edison  artists  for 
some  time  past,  and  who  recently  made  a  record 
of  the  Berceuse  from  "Jocelyn"  for  the  Blue 
Amberol  catalog,  has  been  first  'cellist  of  the  famous 
Philadelphia  orchestra  for  some  years  and,  while 
meeting  the  demands  of  his  orchestral  work,  has 
achieved  a  splendid  reputation  as  a  'cello  soloist 
through  his  recitals  in  Philadelphia,  New  York  and 
other  metropolitan  centers. 


Christine  Miller,  one  of  the  best-known  Ameri- 
can concert  contraltos,  whose  renditions  are  among 
the  most  popular  vocal  numbers  in  the  Blue 
Amberol  catalog,  is  in  demand  for  concert  appear- 
ances in  many  cities  this  spring.  Her  schedule  for 
April  and  May,  as  far  as  it  has  been  arranged, 
is  as  follows:  April  25,  Fairmont,  W.  Va.;  April 
29,  Greensburg,  Pa.;   May  2,  Newark,  N.  J.;  May 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  APRIL,  1916 


4,   Watertown,   N.   Y. ;    May   10,   Syracuse,    N.   Y. ; 
May  11,  Geneva,  N.  Y. 


Anita  Rio,  whose  superb  rendition  of  Tosti's 
"Good  Bye"  is  such  a  favorite  among  Amberola 
owners,  will  sing  in  Ithaca,  N.  Y.,  on  April  27-28. 


The  popularity  of  Thomas  Chalmers,  baritone, 
who  has  made  some  of  the  choicest  Blue  Amberol 
Records,  seems  to  be  growing  steadily.  He  is  now 
on  tour  with  the  Boston  Opera  Company,  making 
his  appearance  in  several  favorite  roles.  The  tour 
includes  the  following  dates  and  places:  April  1, 
Boise  City,  Idaho;  April  3-4,  Salt  Lake  City, 
Utah;  April  6-8,  Denver,  Colo.;  April  10-12,  Kan- 
sas City,  Mo.;  April  13-14,  Omaha,  Neb.;  April 
15,  Des  Moines,  Iowa;  April  24-25,  St.  Paul, 
Minn.;  April  26-27,  Minneapolis,  Minn. 


After  a  western  tour  of  sixteen  weeks  that  in- 
cluded recitals  in  Kansas  City,  Minneapolis  and 
Omaha,  Paul  Gruppe,  the  gifted  'cellist  and  widely 
known  Blue  Amberol  artist,  has  returned  to  New 
York,  where  he  opened  with  an  engagement  at 
Aeolian  Hall.  According  to  all  reports,  Mr. 
Gruppe  greatly  increased  his  fame  and  popularity 
during  his  tour,  audiences  wherever  he  appeared 
being  charmed  by  his  superb  mastery  of  his  instru- 
ment.   

Anna  Case,  the  famous  American  operatic  so- 
prano and  Blue  Amberol  artist,  who  won  her 
reputation  both  as  a  member  of  the  Metropolitan 
Opera  Company  and  through  her  appearances  in 
concert,  recently  returned  from  the  Bermuda 
Islands,  where  she  went  to  recuperate  after  an 
operation  for  appendicitis.  The  news  of  her 
rapid  and  complete  recovery  will  be  learned  of 
with  pleasure  by  music  lovers  because  from  now 
on  she  will  be  able  to  fulfill  her  concert  and 
operatic  engagements.  The  spring  schedule  of 
Miss  Case,  as  far  as  announced,  is:  April  25,  Pat- 
erson,  N.  J.;  April  27,  Cleveland,  Ohio;  May  1, 
Newark,  N.  J.;  May  3,  Erie,  Pa.;  May  5,  Ames, 
Iowa;  May  9,  Jersey  City,  N.  J.;  May  10,  Rich- 
mond,   Va.  

The  spring  bookings  of  Arthur  Middleton,  Blue 
Amberol  artist,  who  is  well  known  for  his  appear- 
ances in  the  leading  basso  roles  at  the  Metro- 
politan Opera  House,  New  York  City,  include 
Ithaca,  N.  Y.,  on  April  27;  Cincinnati,  Ohio, 
on   May   1,   and   Indianapolis,   Ind.,  on  May  9. 


Anna  Case,  Merle  Alcock,  Christine  Miller  and 
Ricardo  Martin,  all  Edison  artists,  will  be  soloists 
at  the  music  festival  to  be  held  at  Newark,  N.  J., 
on  May  1st,  2d,  3d  and  4th,  in  connection  with  the 
250th  anniversary  celebration  of  the  founding  of 
that  city. 


THE  EDISONS  GO  TO  FLORIDA 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thomas  A.  Edison  left  Orange  on 
March  21st  to  spend  a  month  at  their  plantation, 
Fort  Meyer,  Florida.  Mr.  Edison  took  several  of 
his  assistants  with  him  in  order  that  he  may  have 
a  few  experiments  in  progress  while  he  is  absent 
from  the  Orange  Laboratory. 


TRADE  NOTES 

E.  E.  Taylor  &  Co.,  of  Olympia,  Wash.,  who 
have  conducted  a  piano  business  in  that  city  for 
the  past  twenty-five  years,  recently  disposed  of 
their  entire  stock  of  pianos  at  special  sale  and 
made  arrangements  to  handle  the  Edison  phono- 
graphs and  records  exclusively  at  the  old  stand. 


The  business  of  the  late  G.  L.  Ackerman,  con- 
ducted at  537  Linden  street,  Scranton,  under  the 
name  of  Ackerman  &  Co.,  is  to  be  continued  under 
the  management  of  Alfred  V.  Williams,  formerly 
manager  of  the  phonograph  department  of  Stoehr  & 
Fister,  Scranton. 


The  name  of  the  firm  of  the  Kipp-Link  Phono- 
graph Co.,  Indianapolis,  was  on  March  1st  changed 
to  the  Kipp  Phonograph  Co.,  Walter  E.  Kipp, 
president  of  the  company,  having  acquired  the 
interest  of  Mr.  Link,  his  former  associate.  On 
March  5th  Mr.  Kipp  held  an  interesting  meeting 
of  the  dealers  in  his  Zone  at  Indianapolis. 

The  Kipp  Phonograph  Co.  recently  moved  from 
its  quarters  in  Massachusetts  avenue  to  325  North 
Delaware  street,  where  it  occupies  a  modern  three- 
story  building  with  a  floor  space  of  10,000  square 
feet. 


SALESMAN    STOLE    MEETING    TO 
DEMONSTRATE  PHONOGRAPH 

Our  idea  of  a  live-wire  Amberola  salesman  is 
fittingly  described  in  an  item  that  recently  appeared 
in  a  Brooklyn  paper. 

"When  the  members  of  the  Men's  Neighborhood 
Club  of  the  First  Place  M.  E.  Church  met  last  night 
they  found  a  representative  of  a  well  known  phono- 
graph company  waiting  to  give  them  a  concert.  So, 
after  a  brief  discussion,  they  decided  to  postpone 
their  meeting  and  listen  to  the  entertainment. 
Records  ranging  from  grand  opera  to  ragtime  were 
played,  much  to  the  enjoyment  of  the  audience." 

Stealing  a  meeting  and  using  it  for  one's  own  pur- 
poses is  what  we  call  enterprise,  and  we  are  willing 
to  bet  that  the  particular  salesman  that  "pulled" 
this  stunt  is  looking  over  the  latest  models  in  motor 
cars  to  find  the  best  one  to  buy  to  assist  him  in 
enjoying  his  summer  vacation. 


10  EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  APRIL,  1916 

If  You  Do  Have  a  Record  in  Stock  You  May  Not  Sell  It 

but 
If  You  Don't  Have  a  Record  in  Stock  You  Cannot  Sell  It 

We  believe  that  Blue  Amberol  dealers  would  find  it  to  their  best  interests  to  order  every 
record  every  month  and,  in  order  to  encourage  the  adoption  of  this  policy  by  dealers,  particu- 
lar care  was  taken,  in  arranging  the  April  list,  to  select  numbers  that  would  be  popular  and 
easy  to  sell.  A  glance  over  the  list  below  will  convince  any  dealer  that  the  efforts  of  the  com- 
pany to  make  the  list  particularly  attractive  to  the  retail  trade  were  not  made  in  vain.  The 
names  of  four  of  the  greatest  operatic  singers  of  the  world  appear  in  the  concert  list  and  the 
regular  list  offers  such  a  splendid  variety  of  high  class  and  popular  numbers  that  dealers  posi- 
tively cannot  afford  to  risk  missing  sales  by  ordering  only  a  part  of  the  numbers  included 
in  it. 

If  you  have  not  been  doing  so,  determine  now  that  you  will  order  the  complete  list  this 
month  and  adhere  to  this  policy  in  the  future.  Your  business  and  sales  will  increase  out  of 
all  proportions  to  the  small  additional  investment. 

BLUE  AMBEROL  RECORDS  FOR  APRIL 

CONCERT 

28228  Mad'le,  ruck,  ruck,  ruck — Schwabisches  Volkslied — Tenor,  in  German,  orch.  ace.  Karl  Jorn 

28229  Nymphes  et  Sylvains,  Bemberg,  Soprano,  in  French,  orch.  ace.  Alice  Verlet 

28230  I  Know  That  My  Redeemer  Liveth — Messiah,    Handel,  Soprano,  orch.  ace.  Julia  Heinrich 

28231  Recitative  and  Air— The  Trumpet  Shall  Sound— Messiah,  Handel,  Bass  with  Trumpet  Obligato, 

orch.  ace.  Arthur  Middleton 

28232  Hallelujah  Chorus — Messiah,  Handel,  Mixed  voices,  orch.  ace.  Oratorio  Chorus 

REGULAR 

2846  Ye  Happy  Bells  of  Easter  Day— Easter  Carol,  Traditional,  Mixed  voices,  orch.  ace.  The  Carol  Singers 

2847  Let  the  Merry  Church  Bells  Ring! — Easter  Carol,  Traditional,  Mixed  voices,  orch.  ace.  The  Carol  Singers 

2848  Praise  Ye— Attila,  Verdi,  Cornet,  Trombone  and  Euphonium  Sodero's  Band 

2849  Wait  Till  the  Clouds  Roll  By,  Fulmer,  Tenor,  ore.  ace.  Walter  Van  Brunt  and  Chorus 

2850  Girl  Who  Smiles— Waltz,  Briquet- Philipp,  for  Dancing  Jaudas'  Society  Orchestra 

2851  Molly  Dear,  It's  You  I'm  After  Medley — One-Step,  for  Dancing  National  Promenade  Band 

2852  In  the  Gloaming,    Harrison.  Tenor,  orch.  ace.  Emory  B.  Randolph  and  Chorus 

2853  Massa's  in  de  Cold,  Cold  Ground— Transcription,  Foster-Bacon,  Banjo,  unacc.  Fred.  J.  Bacon 

2854  Answer,  Robyn,  Baritone,  orch.  ace.  Thomas  Chalmers 

2855  That  Hula  Hula — Stop!  Look!  Listen!,  Berlin,  Contralto,  orch.  ace.  Helen  Clark  and  Chorus 

2856  Valse  Pathetique,  Ontvas  Armand  Vecsey  and  His  Hungarian  Orchestra 

2857  Go  to  Sleep  My  Little  Pickaninny,  Le  Barge-  Heltman,  Soprano,  orch.  ace.  Gladys  Rice  and  Chorus 

2858  Merry  Whirl — One-Step,  Leniberg,  for  Dancing  Vess  L.  Ossman's  Banjo  Orchestra 

2859  You'll  Always  Be  the  Same  Sweet  Girl,   H .  Von  Tiller,  Tenor,  orch.  ace.  Manuel  Romain 

2860  Recitatif  et  Cavatine,  "Sous  les  pieds  d'une  femme"— La  Reine  de  Saba,  Gounod,  Basso,  in  French, 

orch.  ace.  T.   Foster  Why 

2861  Iolanthe  Airs— No.  2,  Gilbert-Sullivan  New  York  Light  Opera  Co. 

2862  (a)  Honey,  I  Wants  Yer  Now,  Coe;  (b)  Jerusalem  Morning,  Male  voices,  unaccompanied        Criterion  Quartet 

2863  Hungarian  Serenade,  Sgallari  Alessios  Mandolin   Quartet 

2864  My  Mother's  Rosary,  Meyer,  Tenor,  orch.  ace.  Walter  Van  Brunt 

2865  Underneath  the  Stars — Fox  Trot,  for  Dancing  Jaudas'  Society  Orchestra 

2866  Around  the  Map — Fox  Trot,  for  Dancing  Jaudas'  Society  Orchestra 

2867  Juanita,   (Old  Spanish  Melody),  Soprano  and  Baritone,  orch.  ace.  Gladys  Rice  and  Frederick  Wheeler 

2868  When  the  Right  Girl  Comes  Along — Around  the  Map,  Finck,  Tenor,  orch.  ace.  Billy  Murray  and  Chorus 

SWEDISH 

9439  Bergslagstroll  (pa  bygdemal),  Froding,  Komisk  Deklamation  Chas.  G.  WiddSn 

9440  Varan  Bal,  Berlin,  Baritone,  orch.  ace.  Chas.  G.  Widden 

Profitable  to  Advertise  Complete  Amberol  List  Each  Month 

THE  people  of  Bellingham,  Wash.,  can  inform  concern  uses.     Little  insertions,  calling  attention  to 

themselves   as  to   the   records   on   the  monthly  the  fact  that  any  person  may  secure  a  phonograph 

Blue    Amberol    lists    without   the    necessity    of  and  a  choice  selection  of  records  for  a  payment  of 

making    a    special    trip    to    the    store    of    the    Stark  one  doIlar.  with  reasonable  terms  on  the  balance, 

Piano    Company,    the    Edison    Diamond    Amberola       also  are  used  every  once  in  a  while' 

,     ,             .u   .  j-  .  •  .  When   a  merchant  advertises  it  is   a  fairlv  cer- 
dealer   in   that  district. 

.  tain  indication  that  he  is  doing  a  profitable  business 

G.  Sidney  Stark,  the  proprietor  of  the  store,  be-  ,     .     .   ,      .     r    ,.         ■,    A      >         .  .                     1£  •„ 

J                       *     v  and  that  he  is  finding  that  advertising  pays.     If  it 

lieves  in  the  power  of  the  press  as  far  as  advertis-  payg  Mr    Stark  Jn  Bellingham)  Wash#|  t0  advertise 

ing  is  concerned   and  his  faith  in  newspaper  pub-  the  compiete  monthly  lists  of  Blue  Amberol  records 

licity  is  so  strong  that  each  month  he  has  the  new  why   shouldn't  similar   ads    be   found   profitable   by 

Blue    Amberol    list    published    in    full    in    his    local  other    dealers    in    other    territories    throughout    the 

papers.     This  by  no  means  fills  the  space  that  the  United  States? 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  APRIL,  1916  11 

Some  of  the  Artists  in  the  April  List  of 
Blue  Amberol  Records 


KARL  JORN,  Tenor 

Speaking      five      languages,      Karl 
Jorn's    singing    repertoire    includes 
practically     all     of     the     standard 
operatic    tenor    roles.      Jorn    made 
his    debut    in    1895,    when    he    sang 
the    part    of    Lionel    in    "Martha." 
He  soon  acquired  a  sufficient  repu- 
tation   to    secure    a    three-year    en- 
gagement   at    the    important    opera 
house    in    Hamburg.      In    1901    he 
became   a   member   of   the   Imperial 
Opera    Company    of    Berlin,    and    later    joined    the 
Metropolitan  Opera  Company  of  New  York.     More 
recently  still  Mr.  Jorn  has  been  appearing  in  con- 
certs with  great  success. 

ALICE  VERLET,   Soprano 

Alice  Verlet  has  without  question 
one  of  the  finest  coloratura  soprano 
voices  in  the  world.  "The  voice  of 
the  century,"  critics  have  called  it. 
She  is  known  as  the  Belgian  So- 
prano, and  has  a  great  reputation 
in  most  of  the  European  musical 
centers — Brussels,  London  and  the 
Paris  Opera  all  have  been  the 
scenes  of  her  triumphs.  Depth  of 
expression  takes  a  foremost  place 
in  her  delightful  renditions.  She  sings  with  a 
splendid  fluency,  smoothness  of  tone  and  finish,  and 
her  interpretations  are  thoroughly  artistic. 

ARTHUR  MIDDLETON,  Bass 

Arthur  Middleton,  basso  of  the 
Metropolitan  Opera  Company,  is 
one  of  the  best  known  concert, 
operatic  and  oratorio  singers  in 
America.  During  his  first  season 
at  the  Metropolitan  he  appeared 
thirty-five  times — an  unusual  num- 
ber for  a  newcomer  in  the  grand 
opera  field.  Mr.  Middleton  has 
been  re-engaged  by  the  Metropoli- 
tan Opera  Company,  since  voices 
like  his  are  exceedingly  rare,  even  in  grand  opera. 
A  musical  memory  like  Arthur  Middleton's  is  not 
often  found,  as  is  instanced  by  the*  fact  that  he  sings 
more  than  fifty  oratorios  without  notes.  His  popu- 
larity in  oratorio  is  indicated  by  the  fact  that  he 
has  appeared  over  200  times  in  the  "Messiah"  and 
150  times  in  the  "Elijah."  In  concert  work  Mr. 
Middleton  has  made  two  transcontinental  tours  and 
to  fill  all  of  his  many  engagements  has  travelled 
over  100,000  miles. 


MANUEL  ROMAIN,  Tenor 

Until     1893     Mr.    Romain    confined 
himself  to  church  and  concert  work, 
while    studying    assiduously    under 
Professor    H.    T.    Metz.      Then    he 
went  into  the  minstrel  field,  appear- 
ing with  Primrose  and  West,  W.  S. 
Cleveland.    Primrose    and   Docksta- 
der,   W.   H.   West   and   Lew   Dock- 
stader's   Minstrels — covering  in   all 
fifteen   seasons.      In    1906   he   made 
his  vaudeville   debut   and   scored   a 
tremendous   "hit"   with   some   of   his   original    com- 
positions.     He   is   known   to   Edison   owners   chiefly 
as    a    singer    of    sentimental    ballads,    and    in    that 
capacity  has  made  himself  a  great  favorite. 

T.  FOSTER  WHY,  Bass 

T.  Foster  Why,  bass-baritone,  is 
an  American  by  birth,  born  in  Phil- 
adelphia, where  he  first  began  his 
career  as  singer  in  several  of  the 
well-known  churches  of  that  city. 
After  several  years  of  successful 
singing  in  and  about  Philadelphia 
and  the  East,  in  both  concert  and 
opera  work,  he  decided  to  go 
abroad  and  further  continue  his 
studies.  Since  that  time  Mr.  Why 
has  had  the  good  fortune  to  study  under  such  mas- 
ters as  the  late  Pol  Plancon,  Lapierre  and  others 
of  the  world's  best  teachers.  Mr.  Why  had  most 
unusual  success  in  concert,  oratorio  and  opera  in 
many  of  the  large  musical  centers  of  Europe.  Dur- 
ing the  past  two  seasons  he  has  spent  his  time  in 
America  singing  in  oratorios  concerts  and  recitals, 
and  has  appeared  with  many  leading  organizations, 
as  New  York  Oratorio  Society.  Mendelssohn  Club, 
Philadelphia;  Brooklyn  Institute  of  Art  and 
Sciences  and  many  others.  Mr.  Why's  voice  is  of 
the  type  so  seldom  found,  that  is,  a  decided  basso- 
profundo,  which  at  the  same  time  has  the  high  sing- 
ing range  of  the  baritone. 

FRED  BACON,  Banjoist 

One  of  the  best  known  banjo  solo- 

ists  before  the  public,  Mr.  Bacon 
is  known  on  the  vaudeville  stage 
from  coast  to  coast.  His  playing 
repertoire  includes  Grand  Opera, 
descriptive  and  popular  selections 
and  the  familiar  old  "home  melo- 
dies" always  dear  to  the  heart.  One 
critic  said  that  his  playing  was  so 
wonderful  he  could  make  his  banjo 
talk  as  clearly  as  though  it  were  a 
human  voice.  He  has  also  had  considerable  success 
as  a  composer  of  banjo  selections. 


Two  small  frame  buildings  that  formed  a  part 
of  the  Blue  Amberol  Record  manufacturing  plant 
of  Thomas  A.  Edison,  Inc.,  at  Orange,  N.  J.,  were 
destroyed     by    fire    in   the     evening    of    Monday, 


March  20.  The  destruction  of  the  buildings  did 
not  interfere  with  the  manufacture  of  Blue  Amberol 
Records  nor  delay  the  filling  of  orders  more  than 
a   dav  or   two. 


12  EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  APRIL,  1916 


"Signs  of  the  Times" 

WE  are  providing  dealers  this  month  with  some  card-copy  along  the  same  lines  as  the  copy 
printed  in  the  March  number  of  the  Phonograph  Monthly  for  the  purpose  of 
boosting  St.  Patrick's  Day  Sales. 
Among  other  advertising  suggestions,  there  are  three  bearing  on  the  Easter  season.  If 
you  learned  something  of  the  value  of  such  copy,  when  used  through  window  cards  or  incor- 
porated into  newspaper  ads,  by  following  the  suggestions  that  we  made  last  month,  we  do  not 
feel  that  it  is  at  all  necessary  to  urge  you  to  make  use  of  the  copy  for  April.  If  you  did  not 
find  it  convenient  to  use  the  St.  Patrick's  Day  copy,  we  can  only  ask  you  to  give  the  suggestions 
offered  this  month  a  fair  trial.  We  are  sure  that  you  will  find  that  your  business  will  be 
greatly  stimulated  by  them. 

In  addition  to  the  Easter  advertising  suggestions,  we  append  a  list  of  sacred  records  that 
are  appropriate  to  the  Easter  season. 


THE  LILIES  THAT 

BLOOM  TODAY  (MUST 

DIE  TOMORROW 

but  the 

VOICES  That  SING 

Today  Shall 

LIVE  FOREVER 

because 

EDISON 

Has  Made  the  Voice 

Immortal 

WHAT  EASTER  GIFT  IS 

MORE  APPROPRIATE 

THAN  AN  EDISON 

AMBEROLA 


YOU  CANNOT  HEAR 

the 
VOICES  OF  ANGELS 

on  the 
EDISON  AMBEROLA 

But  You  Can  Hear  the 
Most  Beautiful  Voices  of 
the  World  Singing 

THE  SONGS  OF  EASTER 

Come    in    and    Hear    Our 

Edison  Blue  Amberol 

Easter  Records 


THE  SEASON  OF 

SONG  AND  LIFE 

At     Easter 

Time    Men 

Rejoice     in 

the    Triumph 

of  Life  Over 

Death. 

What    Gift 

Can    Better      \ 

Express   the 

Easter   Spirit 

Than     the 

Edison      Am- 

berola  —  the 

Instrument 

That     Makes 

the      Voice 

Immortal. 

EASTER  RECORDS 


Ave  Maria,  Bach-Gounod,  Soprano  and  Violin,  in  Latin 
Marie  Rappold  and  Albert  Spalding 

Beyond   the  Dawn,    IVeatherly-Sanderson,  Tenor   .    . 
Hardy  Williamson 


Day  of  Resurrection 
Gloria  from  Twelfth  Mass 


Psalter 

.    .    Edison  Mixed  Quartet 


Mozart,  in  Latin    .    .    . 
Edison  Mixed   Quartet 

Glory  Song,  Gabriel,  Tenor  and   Baritone 

John    Young,    Frederick    Wheeler   and    Edison 
Mixed   Quartet 

Hallelujah!  Christ  is  Risen,  Tullar 

Edison  Mixed   Quartet 

Jesus  Christ  is  Risen  To-Day,  Worgan 

Edison  Mixed   Quartet 


28106 


23220 


2S79 


1898 


1561 


2210 


2578 


List!  The  Cherubic  Host— Holy  City,  Gaul,  Harp, 

Organ  and  Orchestra  ace 

.    .    .  Chorus  of  Female  Voices  and  Frank  Croxton        1537 

Love  Divine,   All  Love  Excelling — Daughter  of 

Jarius,   Stainer,    Soprano   and    Tenor 

Marie  Kaiser  and  Royal  Fish       2226 

March  Religioso — Gospel  Hymns,  Ecke 

Edison  Concert  Band       19  a 

One  Sweetly  Solemn  Thought,  Ambrose,  Baritone 
Homer  Rodeheaver       2353 

Rock  of  Ages,   Hastings          Edison  Mixed  Quartet  1633 
Trust  in  the  Lord,    Handel-Buck,  Contralto  .... 

Nevada  Van  der  Veer  Miller  2049 

Valley  of  Peace,    Meredith,   Tenor  and    Baritone   .    . 

John  Young  and  Frederick  Wheeler  1559 

Wonderful  Peace,  Cooper,  Tenor     R.  Festyn  Davies  1598 


MAKE  COMPLAINTS  AN  ASSET 

Did  you  ever  stop  to  consider  that  the  complaints 
you  receive  from  your  customers  may  be  made  val- 
uable  assets   in  your  business? 

"Service"  is  the  keynote  of  successful  business 
to-day  and  the  dealer  who  provides  service  wins 
patronage.  A  complaint  invites  service  by  provid- 
ing the  dealer  an  opportunity  to  show  his  willing- 


ness to  serve.  And  by  giving  him  a  chance  to  take 
a  friendly  interest  in  the  welfare  of  his  customer, 
an  interest  that  will  win  him  the  friendship  and 
the  loyalty  of  the  one  who  came  in  to  complain. 

Try  to  avoid  causes  for  complaints  but,  when 
they  are  made,  be  grateful  for  them.  Welcome 
them  because  they  give  you  an  opportunity  to  em- 
phasize your  willingness  to  provide  service  for  your 
patrons. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  APRIL,  1916 


13 


FILING  SYSTEM  FOR  FOLLOW-UPS 

THE  dealer  who  does  not  keep  the  names  and 
addresses  of  the  people  to  whom  he  has  sold 
Amberola  instruments  or  records  and  who 
does  not  make  every  effort  to  induce  instrument 
owners  to  maintain  their  interest  and  remain 
steady  purchasers  of  records  is  neglecting  a  profi- 
table branch  of  his  business.  To  make  it  profitable, 
however,  it  is  not  sufficient  merely  to  keep  the 
names  of  those  to  whom  you  have  sold  machines. 
It  is  essential  that  you  have  a  definite  plan  by 
which  you  can  follow  them  up  and,  by  consistently 
calling  their  attention  to  the  activities  in  the 
Amberola  world,  keep  their  own  interest  in  music 
and  phonographs  in  a  state  of  activity. 

In  order  to  show  a  customer  from  the  very  begin- 
ning that  you  give  service  it  is  a  good  plan  to  have 
a  filing  system  by  which  you  can  keep  informed  as 
o  the  likes  and  dislikes  of  your  various  customers 
as  far  as  phonograph  records  are  concerned.  The 
card  to  be  used  in  connection  with  this  system  should 
contain  spaces  for  the  name  and  address  of  each 
person  who  has  bought  a  machine  or  records  from 
you.  Further,  it  should  have  classifications  relat- 
ing to  the  variety  of  records  preferred  by  the  per- 
son whose  name  it  contains.  At  one  glance  you 
should  be  able  to  learn  whether  the  person  listed 
prefers  classical  or  popular  music;  vocal  or  intru- 
mental  music,  and  the  names  of  his  favorite  singer 
and  composer.  Other  useful  classifications  will 
suggest  themselves  as  the  dealer  gives  the  subject 
consideration,  and  the  system  may  be  so  handled 
that  the  dealer  will  have  at  his  command  a  com- 
plete catalog  of  the  musical  preferences  of  every 
person  who  has  ever  bought  a  phonograph  or 
records  at  his  store. 

A  customer,  knowing  that  the  information  he  has 
*iven  you  is  on  file,  will  expect  occasional  notifica- 
tions from  you  and,  when  they  come,  he  will  regard 
them  more  as  a  personal  favor  on  your  part  than  as 
part  of  a  scheme  to  keep  him  an  active  record  pur- 
chaser. The  notifications  you  send  will  be  based 
on  the  contents  of  the  monthly  list  of  new  records 
or  such  special  lists  as  may  be  sent  out  from  time 
to  time.  Where  there  are  records  on  the  lists  that 
seem  to  meet  the  desires  of  certain  of  your  customers, 
as  these  desires  are  indicated  on  the  cards  in  your 
filing  system,  you  will  do  well  to  send  such  cus- 
tomers a  few  lines  on  a  postal  card,  calling  their 
attention  to  the  fact  that  you  have  received  some 
new  records  by  their  favorite  singer,  composer,  etc. 
Where  customers  have  telephones  it  would  be  better 
to  use  this  method  of  communication,  for  it  brings 
you  into  direct  personal  touch  and  has  proven  very 
effective  wherever  it  has  been  tried. 


CONCERTS  AND  HOW  TO  CON- 
DUCT THEM 

DEALERS  will  find  that  Amberola  concerts,  if 
they  are  given  regularly  so  that  those  who 
are  interested  will  become  accustomed  to  look 
forward  to  them,  will  become  a  valuable  factor  in 
increasing  sales  of  instruments  and  records. 
Instead  of  arranging  for  concerts  in  your  studio 
in  connection  with  holidays  or  other  occasions  that 
would  result  in  the  irregular  occurrence  of  the 
demonstrations,  give  a  concert  each  week  on  a  regu- 
lar day  and  at  a  regular  hour.  Perhaps  your 
attendance  will  be  light  at  first,  but  those  who  come 
and  find  pleasure  in  the  music  of  the  Amberola  will 
bring  their  friends  when  they  come  again,  and  in 
this  way  it  will  not  be  long  before  you  have  a  large 
and  appreciative  audience  at  each  of  your  demon- 
strations. 

It  is  not  wise  even  to  attempt  to  make  any  sales 
at  such  an  affair,  because  any  suggestion  of  busi- 
ness would  be  a  breach  of  etiquette.  For  the  after- 
noon or  for  the  evening,  those  who  attend  the 
concert  on  your  invitation  are  your  guests  and  you 
should  not  attempt  to  sell  to  a  guest  in  your  store 
any  more  than  you  would  in  your  home.  In  fact,  it 
might  be  a  very  good  idea  to  have  it  thoroughly 
understood  that  no  instruments  or  records  will  be 
sold  on  the  afternoon  or  evening  of  the  concert.  The 
latter  suggestion,  to  some,  may  appear  to  be  carry- 
ing the  concert  idea  to  extreme  lengths,  but  we 
believe  that  the  advertising  value  of  the  announce- 
ment that  your  store  is  closed  for  business  and  open 
for  the  entertainment  of  your  customers  and  their 
friends  on  a  certain  afternoon  or  evening  each  week 
will  offset  any  profits  that  you  might  lose. 

The  more  you  eliminate  any  suggestion  of  busi- 
ness from  your  public  concerts,  and  the  greater 
degree  of  regularity  with  which  you  give  them,  the 
more  potential  they  will  be  in  stimulating  your  sales 
and  building  up  your  business. 


AMBEROLOIDS 

•I  The    best    way    to    make    customers    is    to    make 

friends. 

<§  Take  care  of  the  Amberolas   and  the  Amberols 

will  take  care  of  themselves. 

<J  Progress  is  a  highway  that  must  be  made  by  he 

who  travels  over  it. 

<I  A  full  stock   attracts  full   pocket-books  and  full 

pocket-books  make  empty  shelves. 

C[  Make  hay  while  the  sun  shines,  but  don't  go  to 

sleep  when   it  rains. 

^  Keep   your   windows   clean    and   your   customers 

will  keep  your  shelves  clean. 


14 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  APRIL,  1916 


Humorous 


CONSOLATION 


Stage-struck  Maiden  (after  trying  her  voice)  — 
Do  you  think  I  can  ever  do  anything  with  my  voice? 

Stage  Manager — Well,  it  may  come  in  handy  in 
case  of  fire. 


THE  POWER  OF  MUSIC 

"That  Polish  violinist  actually  brought  tears  to 
the  eyes  of  his  audience." 

"That's  nothing.  There's  a  fiddler  next  door  to 
us  who  makes  his  hearers  swear  every  time  he 
plays." 


SAFETY  FIRST 

Simpson — Say,  do  you  know  how  to  drive  a  nail 
without  mashing  your  thumb? 

Sampson — No,  how   do  you  do   it? 

Simpson — Hold  the  hammer  with  both  hands. 


THE  REASON  WHY 

"I    understand    that    your    new    opera    has    very 
catchy  music." 

"Well,  most  of  it's  being  'hooked.'" 


A  SHORT  DASH 

"Scribbler  told  me  a  month  ago  that  a  play  of  his 
was  to  be  produced  very  shortly.  Have  you  heard 
anything  about  it?" 

"Yes.  It  was  produced  very  shortly  indeed.  It 
ran  for  one  consecutive  night." 


SOCIETY  NOTE 

"Making  any  progress  toward  getting  acquainted 
with  those  fashionable  people  next  door?" 

"Just  a  little.  Their  cat  invited  our  cat  over 
to   a   musicale   last  night." 


THE  DIFFERENCE 


"Belle  seems  to  be  putting  her  soul  into  the  music 
she  is  playing." 

"Nonsense!     She's  merely  putting  her  feet  in  it." 

"What  do  you  mean?" 

"Don't  you  see  she's  operating  a  player-piano?" 


A  CRITIC'S  OPINION 

Joe  Chin,  who  advertises  with  us,  has  added  a 
phonograph  to  his  outfit.  In  his  collection  of  rec- 
ords are  several  gems  of  Chinese  grand  opera, 
which  to  the  American  ear  resemble  a  cross  be- 
tween the  caterwauling  of  a  love-sick  feline  and 
the  filing  of  a  cross  cut  saw.  Joe  is  happy  to  favor 
customers  who  have  an  appreciative  ear  for  real 
Oriental   melody. — Park  Ridge    (N.  J.)    Local. 


FRIENDS  OF  BOTH 

He — Yes,    I    once    thought    of    going   into    grand 
opera,   but  friends   dissuaded  me. 

She — Friends  of  grand  opera,  no  doubt. 


TRAMP,  TRAMP,  TRAMP 

"Don't  you  find  that  a  baby  brightens  up  a  house- 
hold wonderfully?" 

"Yes,"  said  the  parent,  with  a  sigh;  "we  have 
gas  going  most  of  the  night  now." 


THIS  WAY  OUT ! 

Hub — One  night  while  you  were  away  I  heard  a 
burglar.  You  should  have  seen  me  going  down- 
stairs three  steps  at  a  time. 

Wife  (who  knows  him) — Where  was  he,  on  the 
roof? 


Phonographic  Odds  and  Ends 


Pity  the  sorrows  of  a  New  York  police  magis- 
trate! One  of  them  had  to  decide  which  was  the 
more  reprehensible:  a  baby  that  yelled  persistently 
or  a  phonograph  that  was  turned  loose  every  time 
the  baby  yelled — which,  according  to  impartial  wit- 
nesses, was  most  all  the  time.  The  modern  Solo- 
mon decided  in  favor  of  the  phonograph. 


readily  imagined,  is  very  difficult,  and  necessitates 
keeping  the  legs  far  apart;  while  running  is  alto- 
gether out  of  the  question.  The  disks  are  kept  high- 
ly polished,  and  when  the  women  walk  in  long 
files  to  market  the  sight  of  their  anklets  flashing 
in  the  sun  excites  the  envy  of  their  poorer,  but  more 
comfortable  sisters. — Wide  World  Magazine. 


The  women  of  Nigeria  wear  extraordinary  brass  When    a    big    steam    pump    in    California    went 

anklets,  shaped  like  disc  records,  which  are  riveted  wrong,    a    phonograph    record    of    its    sounds    was 

on    to   their    legs    at   an    early   age,    and    are   never  made    and    sent   to   its   makers   in    New   York,    who 

again    taken    off.      Walking    in    them,    as    will    be  diagnosed  the  trouble  and  told  how  to  correct  it. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  APRIL,  1916 


15 


NEW    SUPERVISORS 

The  appointment  of  two  additional  territorial 
supervisors  has  been  announced  by  the  sales 
department.  Both  have  already  gone  to  their  pros- 
pective fields. 

Lewis  Albert  Zollner  is  to  supervise  the  Chicago, 
Milwaukee,  Minneapolis,  Des  Moines  and  Sioux 
City  Zones.  He  is  a  graduate  of  the  University 
of  Wisconsin  and  has  had  considerable  sales 
experience,  his  last  previous  connection  being  with 
the  Singer  Sewing  Machine  Company,  at  Port  of 
Spain,  Trinidad,  British  West  Indies,  where  he 
was  managing  salesman  and  auditor. 

Charles  R.  Lee,  for  the  present,  will  supervise 
the  Atlanta  Zone  only.  This  Zone  has,  been  but 
recently  established,  and  Mr.  Lee  expects  to  spend 
a  great  deal  of  time  there  in  the  re-organization 
of  old,  and  establishment  of  new,  dealers.  Mr. 
Lee  has  had  long  traveling  experience  in  the  South 
and  Southwest  particularly,  in  the  capacity  of 
salesman  for  several  large  manufacturers,  and 
knows  his  territory. 

Both  men  have  been  in  training  at  the  factory 
for  several  weeks,  including  a  practical  mechanical 
training. 


THE  DANGER  OF  KNOCKING 

It  is  a  generally  accepted  business  principle  at 
the  present  time  that  it  never  pays  to  knock  your 
competitor  or  the   line  of  goods  that  he  is  selling. 

Knocking  is  no  longer  looked  upon  as  a  favorable 
means  of  trying  to  win  business  and  the  knocker 
generally  is  viewed  with  suspicion.  A  dealer  who 
asserts  that  the  line  handled  by  his  competitor  is 
cheap  and  inferior  is  usually  suspected  of  under- 
handed dealing  and  the  customer  reasons  that  a 
merchant  who  will  attempt  to  strike  a  competitor 
in  the  back  will  not  hesitate  in  taking  an  unfair  ad- 
vantage of  one  who  trades  with  him.  There  was 
a  time  when  these  underhanded  tactics  were  in- 
dulged in  by  practically  every  merchant,  but  the 
ethics  of  modern  business  demand  a  higher  degree 
of  astuteness  and  cleverness  in  selling  merchandise. 

It  is  now  recognized  that  it  is  not  necessary  to 
run  down  a  competitor's  line  in  order  to  boost  the 
goods  that  you  are  selling.  Indeed,  it  is  considered 
that  this  is  the  poorest  and  costliest  kind  of  business 
policy.  It  is  only  necessary  to  show  a  customer  that 
your  line  of  goods  is  superior  to  the  line  of  your 
competitor  in  order  to  make  a  sale. 


Jobbers  of  Edison  Amberola  Phonographs 
and  Blue  Amberol  Records 


ALABAMA 
Birmingham — Talking  Machine  Co. 
Mobile — W.  H.  Reynalds. 

CALIFORNIA 

Los  Angeles — Southern  California  Music 

Co. 
San  Francisco — Pacific  Phonograph  Co. 

COLORADO 
Denver — Denver  Dry  Goods  Co. 
Hext  Music  Co. 

CONNECTICUT 

\"ew  Haven — Pardee-Ellenberger  Co. 

GEORGIA 

Atlanta — Atlanta  Phonograph  Co. 

Phonographs,  Inc. 
Waycross — Youmans  Jewelry  Co. 

ILLINOIS 
Chicago — Babson  Bros. 

James  I.  Lyons. 

The  Phonograph  Co. 
Peoria — Peoria  Phonograph  Co. 
Quincy — Quincy  Phonograph  Co. 

INDIANA 

Indianapolis — Kipp  Phonograph  Co. 

IOWA 

Des  Moines — Harger  &  Blish 
Sioux  City — Harger  &  Blish. 

LOUISIANA 

New  Orleans — Diamond  Music  Co.,  Inc. 

MAINE 
Bangor — Chandler  &  Co. 

MARYLAND 
Baltimore — E.  F.  Droop  &  Sons  Co. 


MASSACHUSETTS 
Boston — Iver  Johnson  Sporting  Goods  Co. 

Pardee-Ellenberger  Co. 
Lowell — Thomas  Wardell. 

MICHIGAN 

Drtroit — Phonograph  Co.  of  Detroit. 

MINNESOTA 
Minneapolis — Laurence  H.  Lucker. 
St.  Paul— W.  J.  Dyer  &  Bro. 

MISSOURI 

Kansas  City — The  Phonograph  Co. 
St.  Louis — Silverstone  Music  Co. 

MONTANA 

Helena — -Montana  Phonograph  Co. 

NEBRASKA 
Omaha — Shultz  Bros. 

NEW  JERSEY 
Paterson — James  K.  O'Dea. 

NEW  YORK 

Albany — American  Phonograph  Co. 

Finch  &  Hahn. 
Buffalo — W.  D.  Andrews. 

Neal,  Clark  &  Neal  Co. 
Elmira — Elmira  Arms  Co. 
N.  Y.  City— I.  Davega,  Jr.,  Inc. 

J.  F.  Blackman  &  Son 
S.  B.  Davega  Co. 
Phonograph  Corp.  of 
Manhattan 
Rochester — Talking  Machine  Co. 
Syracuse — Frank  E.  Bolway  &  Son. 

W.  D.  Andrews  Co. 
Utica — Arthur  F.  Ferriss. 
William  Harrison. 


OHIO 
Cincinnati — The  Phonograph  Co. 
Cleveland — The  Phonograph  Co. 

OREGON 
Portland — Pacific   Phonograph   Co. 

PENNSYLVANIA 
Philadelphia — Girard  Phonograph  Co. 
Pittsburgh — Buehn  Phonograph  Co. 
Scranton — Ackerman  &  Co. 
Williamsport — W.  A.  Myers. 

RHODE  ISLAND 
Providence — J.  A.  Foster  Co. 

TEXAS 
Dallas — Texas-Oklahoma  Phonog.  Co. 
El  Paso — El  Paso  Phonograph  Co.,  Inc. 

UTAH 
Ogden — Proudfit  Sporting  Goods  Co. 
Salt  Lake  City — Consolidated  Music  Co. 

VERMONT 
Burlington — American  Phonograph  Co. 

VIRGINIA 
Richmond — C.  B.  Haynes  &  Co. 

WASHINGTON 
Seattle — Pacific  Phonograph  Co.,  N.  W. 
Spokane — Pacific  Phonograph  Co.,  N.  W. 

WISCONSIN 
Milwaukee — The  Phonograph  Co. 

CANADA 
Calgary — R.    S.    Williams    &    Sons    Co., 

Ltd. 
Montreal — R.  S.  Williams  &  Sons  Co., 

Ltd. 
St.  John— W.  H.  Thorne  &  Co.,  Ltd. 
Toronto — R.  S.  Williams  &  Sons  Co.,  Ltd. 
Vancouver — Kent  Piano  Co.,  Ltd. 
Winnipeg — Babson  Bros. 

R.   S.   Williams  &  Soni  Co.,  Ltd. 


Suggestions  for  Amberola  Advertisements 

REALIZING  that  it  is  frequently  puzzling  to  think  of  just  what  to  say  in  an  adver- 
tisement, we  have   prepared,  and    show   below,  four   advertisements    designed   for 
newspaper  use.     As  these  are  merely  suggestions,  they  can  be  enlarged  and  more 
matter  added,  and  larger  cuts  used,  if  desired.     We  feel  that  dealers  who  are  alive  to  the 
advertising  possibilities  of  the  Edison  Diamond  Amberola  will  appreciate  these  suggestions. 


ITS  PRICE  IS   MODERATE 
ITS  QUALITY  SUPERB 


An 

EDISON 

Diamond 
Amberola 


Electro  No.  412 

in  your  home  would  be  a  source  of 
constant  enjoyment,  and  a  means 
of  educating  your  children  to  love 
and  appreciate  the  world's  best 
music.  Come  in  and  hear  it — Bring 
the  children.      ::      ::      ::     ::      ::      :: 

(Dealer's  Name  and  Address) 


•:ij:  "p-rcihAr-rrl- 

t 

':'i     [     M3K 

>y.  4= - — —11,  u/'^t^wm              ^^^S 

Electro  No.  336 

FLOOD  YOUR  HOME  WITH 
CHEERFUL  MELODY 

Have  the  world's  best  classic  and  popular  music 
rendered  by  master  musicians  right^at  your  fireside. 
Get  an 

EDISON    Diamond 
Amberola 

Prices  Moderate — Quality  Superb 

Come  hear  it  any  time — bring  your  children, 
bring    your  friends. 

(Dealer's  Name  and  Address) 


JUST     RECEIVED— 

The  latest 

EDISON     Blue 
Amberol     Record 


Come  hear  the  world's 
best  classic  and  popular 
music  rendered  by  mas- 
ter musicians — some- 
thing sure  to  please  you. 

(Dealer's  Name 
and    Address) 


Electro  No.  783 


TURN  YOUR  "WISH" 
INTO  A  "WILL" 

Decide  now  to  get  that 

EDISON 
Diamond 
Amberola 

Enjoyment  for  you  and 
education  for  your 
children.     ::     ::     ::     :: 

Electro  No.  469 

Genuine    diamond    point  reproducer — 

unbreakable  records 

Prices  moderate — quality  superb 

(Dealer's  Name  and  Address) 


Wie  EDISON 
PHONOGRAPH 
MONTHLY 


VOL.  XIV 


MAY,  1916 


NO.  5 


VERNON  ARCHIBALD,  BARITONE 


BLUE  AMBEROL  DAY 

YOU  are  familiar  with  Edison  Week,  the  celebration  of  which  has 
become  so  popular  and  widespread  that  it  has  been  decided  to 
make  it  an  annual  fixture  among  Edison  jobbers  and  dealers,  to 
occur  during  the  week  of  October  21st  each  year.  Edison  Week  has  for 
some  time  been  one  of  the  big  events  in  the  electrical  world,  when  the 
great  electrical  corporations  of  the  country  spend  thousands  of  dollars 
in  decorations,  advertising,  etc.,  in  honor  of  the  inventor  of  the  electric 
light,  Thomas  A.  Edison. 

Now  it  is  Blue  Amberol  Day.  Beginning  with  May,  the  25th  of  each 
month  is  to  be  Blue  Amberol  Day,  for  on  that  day  the  new  Blue  Amberol 
Records  will  go  on  sale  throughout  the  country. 

Get  Blue  Amberol  Day  so  fixed  in  your  customers'  minds  that  they 
will  look  forward  to  it  each  month.  A  good  idea  would  be  to  have  a  simple, 
inexpensive,  but  neat,  hand-lettered  sign  made  for  use  each  month.  This 
sign  should  be  lettered  on  both  sides.  On  one  side  it  should  be  lettered 
"Edison  Blue  Amberol  Records  on  Sale  on  the  25th,"  and  be  used  one  or 
more  days  in  advance.  The  other  side  should  read  "Edison  Blue  Amberol 
Records  Now  on  Sale — Come  in  and  Hear  Them,"  and  be  displayed  on 
and  after  the  25th. 

Welcome  to  the  fixed  selling  date  that  gives  everyone  a  real  square 
deal,  with  no  chance  of  one  dealer's  customers  going  to  another  dealer 
because  he  happens  to  receive  his  shipment  before  the  other. 

Welcome  to  the  return  of  the  uniform  selling  date  as  another  sign 
that  the  wind  is  blowing  in  the  right  direction  for  a  still  "fair  and  warmer" 
outlook  for  the  Amberola  line. 


The  Edison 
Phonograph  Monthly 


Volume  XIV 


MAY,  1916 


Number  5 


PUTTING  OUT  DIAMOND  AMBER- 
OLAS  ON  TRIAL 

YOU  may  be  of  the  opinion  that  it  does  not  pay 
to  keep  a  good  stock  of  Amberolas  on  hand. 
You  may  think  that  you  make  sales  so  infre- 
quently that  you  need  only  carry  one  or  two  in- 
struments of  each  type.  You  may  think  that  you  can 
easily  replenish  your  stock  before  you  lose  any 
sales  as  a  result  of  your  inadequate  stock.  If  you 
do  think  this,  it  is  undoubtedly  because  you  have 
had  experience  in  your  territory  and  know  just 
about  how  many  instruments  you  must  keep  on 
hand  to  meet  all  the  demands  that  may  be  made 
on  you.     And  you   are   right — to   a  certain   extent. 

But  did  you  ever  think  of  the  possibilities  there 
are  in  ample  stock  aside  from  its  window-trimming 
and  immediate-sales  value? 

Do  you  know  that  the  business  of  every  large 
typewriter  manufacturing  concern  was  built  up  by 
means  of  putting  their  machines  out  on  trial.  And 
the  agents  did  not  put  them  out  on  trial  at  the 
request  of  their  prospects.  They  put  them  out  on 
trial  wherever  they  could  find  a  business  concern 
of  any  standing  that  would  accept  an  offer  of  a 
trial  and,  through  this  method,  made  thousands  of 
sales.  There  is  not  a  great  deal  of  difference  be- 
tween the  Diamond  Amberola  and  typewriters  as 
far  as  the  range  of  prices  go  and  the  sales  methods 
used  in  pushing  the  latter  should  apply,  in  part 
at  least,  to  the  former. 

The  one  great  difference  lies  in  the  fundamental 
methods  used  in  getting  the  two  lines  from  the  man- 
ufacturer to  the  consumer.  The  typewriter  manu- 
facturers, for  the  greater  part,  established  their 
own  agencies  while  the  phonograph  is  being  han- 
dled through  independent  dealers.  The  former 
method  made  it  possible  for  the  typewriter  agencies 
to  carry  heavy  stocks  of  machines  as  each  agency 
was  a  part  of  the  company  and  the  agent  could 
secure  the  use  of  as  many  machines  as  he  needed 
without  paying  for  them.  But  if  the  history  of  the 
typewriter  selling  method  indicates  that  carrying 
large  stocks  aided  the  dealer  in  disposing  of  ma- 
chines, there  is  no  reason  why  the  dealer  in  phono- 
graphs cannot  build  up  a  stock  and  increase  his 
•ales  by  using  the  typewriter  sales  methods.  The 
great    majority    of    dealers    have    a    surplus    that 


might  far  better  be  invested  in  stock  than  drawing  a 
small  rate  of  interest  in  a  bank.  And  when  you 
get  the  stock,  keep  your  phonographs  out.  Keep 
them  in  the  homes  of  responsible  people  who  may 
be  attracted  by  them  when  they  know  more  about 
their  possibilities. 

Don't  think  that  it  is  a  favor  to  allow  a  repu- 
table person  to  take  an  instrument  to  his  home  and 
give  it  a  thorough  trial  there.  Consider  it  as  a 
favor  to  you,  if  people  will  do  this  and  make 
every  effort  to  interest  prospects  to  a  point  where 
they  will  allow  you  to  place  an  instrument  and  a 
few  records  that  they  like  in  their  homes.  If  you 
do  this  you  will  find  one  way  in  which  a  surplus 
stock  can  be  made  to  pay  big  dividends  and  you 
will  learn  that  putting  instruments  out  on  trial  is 
one  of  the  best  ways  of  selling  them. 


STIRRING  UP  RECORD  SALES 

Have  you  developed  the  record  sales  possibilities 
of  your  field  to  the  utmost?  When  an  Amberola 
owner  gets  sluggish  in  his  record  buying  what  do 
you  do  to  stir  him  up?  Have  you  ever  tried  a 
series  of  form  letters? 

We  have  prepared  a  series  of  three  letters  de- 
signed to  renew  the  interest  of  Amberola  owners 
who  have  slowed  up  in  their  purchases  of  records. 
We  don't  claim  that  miracles  can  be  worked  with 
these  letters,  but  we  are  sure  they  will  be  helpful 
toward  accomplishing  the  purpose  for  which  they 
were  written. 

Of  course,  you  cannot  depend  on  letters  alone, 
and  with  this  thought  in  mind  we  have  arranged  the 
third  letter  of  the  series  so  that  it  will  open  the 
way  for  a  call  to  play  the  newest  records  on  the 
owner's  instrument.  With  this  letter  a  card  re- 
questing a  call  may  be  sent,  or  not,  as  desired. 

If  you  are  interested  in  keeping  your  record  sales 
up  to  the  maximum  all  the  time,  write  us  for  copies 
of  these  letters. 

Perhaps  you  have  a  good  method  of  your  own  for 
stimulating  record  sales.  If  so  let  us  hear  about  it 
so  we  can  pass  it  along  to  the  other  fellow.  On  the 
other  hand,  we  will  publish  for  your  benefit  any- 
thing worth  while  that  we  get  from  other  sources. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  MAY,  1916 


NEW  AMBEROLA  DEALERS 

IT  is  evident  to  anyone  with  his  ear  to  the 
ground  that  activity  in  the  Edison  Amberola 
line  is  increasing  daily.  New  Amberola 
dealers  are  being  added  at  the  rate  of  fifty  a 
month,  153  having  been  taken  on  the  Amberola 
line  from  the  first  of  the  year  to  April  15th.  In 
the  past  month  sixty-five  dealers  have  displayed 
their  business  foresight  by  entering  into  the  busi- 
ness of  handling  the  Amberola  line.  Of  this  num- 
ber, twenty  are  exclusive  cylinder  dealers  and 
twenty-eight  are  former  disc  dealers  who  have 
taken  on  the  cylinder  line.  The  remaining  seven- 
teen are  new  Edison  dealers  who  have  taken  on 
both  the  disc  and  cylinder  lines.  The  new  cylinder 
dealers,  in  all  classes,  who  have  been  added  dur- 
ing the  past  month   are   as   follows: 

NEW  DEALERS— AMBEROL  ONLY 

Angle-Caspers,   Ennis,   Mont. 
P.    D.    Burton,    Harlem,    Mont. 
W.   L.   Robertson,   Lebanon,   N.   H. 
A.  E.  Norman,  Wheeling,  Mo. 
L.   D.   Carlson,   Napoleon,  N.  D. 
M.  A.  Durkin,  Luce,  Minn. 
J.  D.  Woodsworth's  Sons,  Shickshinny,  Pa. 
John    Engebretson,    Hudson,    Wis. 
The  L.   Stadelman    Co.,   Timmons,   Ont.,   Canada. 
W.  H.  McKenzie,  Alix.,  Alta.,  Can. 
Stanwoods  Limited,   Winnipeg,   Man.,    Can. 
Ochre   River    Trading    Co.,    Ochre   River,    Man., 
Can. 

James  F.  Griggs,  Griggs,  Idaho. 

T.  V.  Hilley,  Athens,  Ga. 

Edwin  LaRue,  Sutherland,  Neb. 

Samuel  E.  Arnold,  Gary,  Minn. 

Multiphone  Operating  Co.,   Cincinnati,  Ohio. 

R.   Frank   Clark,   Mingo,   Iowa. 

W.  Walker,  Clinton,  Ont.,  Can. 

NEW  DEALERS— AMBEROL   AND   DISC 

Malloy  Drug  Co.,  Van  Hook,  N.  D. 

Power   Mercantile  Co.,   Lewiston,   Mont. 

Linebarger  &  Taber,  Clarion,  Iowa. 

H.   R.    Stanzel,    Odebolt,    Iowa. 

Arizona  Stores  Co.,  Oatman,  Arizona. 

National  Talking  Machine  Sales  Corporation, 
Binghamton,  N.  Y. 

O.  O.  Greenlee,  Lineville,  Iowa. 

Dora  Beamer,   Clearfield,   Iowa. 

W.  C.  Stripling,  Fort  Worth,  Texas. 

Charles  Woolven,  Oswego,  Kas. 

H.  B.  Wiley  &  Son,  Nevada,  Mo. 

John  Bressmer  Company,   Springfield,  111. 

George  A.  Heimer,  Stamford,  Conn. 

L.  Killian  &  Co.,   Cedar  Bluffs,   Neb. 

Tipton    Furniture    Co.,    Henrietta,   Texas. 

Pueblo  Phonograph  Co.,  Pueblo,   Colo. 

Mutual  Gas  &  Electrical  Appliance,  Oak  Park, 
111. 

Williams  Piano  Co.,  Sioux  Falls,  S.  D. 

PREVIOUS  DISC  DEALERS  TAKING 
ON  AMBEROL 

Sterchi   Bros.   Co.,   Bristol,  Tenn. 
C.   H.   Selig,   Eldorado,   Kas. 


Nelson  &  Nelson,  Troy,  N.  Y. 
Philip  J.  Wiegel,    Darlington,   Wis. 
Morgan  Book  Co.,  Baldwin,  Kas. 

C.  A.  Roe,  Lockport,  N.  Y. 
Davis-Kaser  Co.,  Walla  Walla,  Wash. 
T.  W.  Lalley,  Montrose,  South  Dakota. 

D.  Hogeboom,  Pittsburg,  Kas. 
G.  A.  Perry,   Sterling,   111. 
Eleanor  V.  Martin,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Stucky's  Red  Cross  Pharmacy,  Beaver  Falls,  Pa. 
M.  R.  Cope,  Perkasie,  Pa. 
C.  R.  McCoy,  Guthrie  Center,  Iowa. 
Purnhage  &  Werner,  Guttenberg,   Iowa. 
Thomas  A.  Hayes,  Blackfoot,  Idaho. 
Durland-Sawtell    Furniture    Co.,    Junction    City, 
Kas. 

A.  S.  Lyndon,  Ann  Arbor,  Mich. 
Bowie  Drug  Co.,  Bowie,  Texas. 
S.  W.  Womack,  Quanah,  Texas. 
Keller's  Jewelry   Store,  Libby,  Mont. 
W.  F.  Dufford  &  Co.,  New  Castle,  Pa. 
Mary  L.  Goodsell,  Fort  Scott,  Kas. 
Seaton  Piano  Co.,  Aurora,  111. 
Albert  Weber,   Dodgeville,  Wis. 
Lester  M.  Garber,  Timberville,  Va. 
J.   E.   Willey,   Cherryfield,   Me. 
G.  Murison  &  Sons  Co.,  Portage,  Wis. 


HOW  A  LOS  ANGELES  DEALER 
GIVES  WEEKLY  CONCERTS 

THE  Vernon  Music  Company,  of  Los  Angeles, 
Cal.,  has  given  recently  a  series  of  concerts, 
and  one  of  the  results  of  these  public  dem- 
onstrations has  been  the  sale  of  two  $125  Amberolas. 
In  a  communication  to  the  Phonograph  Monthly, 
E.  Hollands,  proprietor  of  the  concern,  advances 
a  number  of  excellent  ideas  that  any  dealer  may 
use  in  connection  with  his  concerts. 

"I  have  read  your  article  in  the  April  Monthly  on 
'How  Do  You  Select  Your  New  Records?'"  writes 
Mr.  Hollands.  "I  believe  that  you  are  right  in  your 
theory  that  is  expressed  in  the  article,  and  I  want 
to  tell  you  that  I  order  each  one  of  the  new  records 
so  a  customer  can  hear  any  one  that  he  desires 
when  I  hand  him  the  supplement.  I  study  the  likes 
and  dislikes  of  my  customers,  and  it  does  not  take 
me  long  to  know  just  the  class  of  records  a  certain 
customer  likes.  In  fact,  some  of  my  customers  de- 
pend on  me  to  select  them  a  certain  number  of 
records  each  month,  as  they  tell  me  that  I  seem  to 
know  better  than  they  do  just  what  they  will  like 
the  best. 

"I  announce  my  concerts,  which  I  hold  every 
night,  by  means  of  a  signboard  which  hangs  on  the 
outside  wall  of  my  store.  The  space  on  the  sign  be- 
low the  name  of  the  company  is  painted  black  so 
that  I  can  use  it  to  make  special  announcements. 
When  I  am  giving  a  concert  I  clear  the  floor  of  my 
store  and  place  about  seventy  chairs  in  the  room. 
On  each  chair  I  place  a  catalog.  Then  I  invite 
those  who  are  in  the  audience  to  call  the  records 
that  they  wish  played,  and  in  this  way  I  am 
called  upon  to  play  all  kinds  of  records.  I  find 
that  this  is  a  splendid  way  to  demonstrate  the 
records,  as  time  and  again  I  have  sold  records,  not 
only  to  those  who  called  for  them,  but  to  others  in 
the  audience  who  liked  them  when  they  were  played. 

"The  concerts  seem  to  be  very  attractive,  and  I 
have  sold  two  $125  Amberolas  at  them." 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  MAY,  1916 


How  I  Keep  My  Cylinder  Record  Business  Active 


By  Charles  G.   Rosewall,   Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 


WHILE  there  seem  to  be  many  Blue  Amberol 
dealers  complaining  that  the  disc  phono- 
graph record  business  is  causing  a  depres- 
sion in  the  cylinder  line,  I  believe  that  their  cause 
of  complaint  lies  in  the  fact  that  they  do  not  push 
the  cylinder  line  as  they  did  before  there  was  much 
disc  competition,  rather  than  in  any  slump  that  has 
resulted  from  the  introduction  of  the  disc.  I  sell 
as  many  Blue  Amberols  now  as  I  have  at  any- 
time during  the  last  five  years,  so  I  certainly  find 
the  line  a  live  and  profitable  one.  It  takes  effort, 
of  course,  to  meet  the  competition  that  has  resulted 
from  the  vast  expansion  of  the  phonograph  in- 
dustry, but  you  do  not  meet  any  more  competition 
in  selling  the  cylinder  line  than  you  do  in  selling 
any  disc  instrument  against  the  competition  of  the 
great  number  of  instruments  of  the  latter  type  that 
now  are  being  manufactured. 

I  believe  that  the  foundation  of  the  cylinder 
record  business  lies  in  getting  the  names  of  owners 
of  machines,  and  in  keeping  in  touch  with  cus- 
tomers who  buy  them.  If  you  can  awaken  the  in- 
terest of  an  old  Edison  owner  in  his  phonograph, 
or  keep  alive  the  interest  of  those  who  buy  in- 
struments of  you,  you  are  going  to  do  a  profitable 
business  in  records.  Even  if  you  do  not  see  some 
of  your  customers  more  than  once  a  year,  always 
send  them  the  monthly  lists,  new  catalogs,  or  other 
literature  that  is  available  and  that  might  be  of 
interest  to  them.  In  my  store  in  Flatbush  avenue, 
Brooklyn,  we  always  have  made  a  specialty  of 
studying  the  tastes  of  our  customers,  and,  in  addi- 
tion to  this,  we  always  have  endeavored  to  sell 
those  records  that  will  "wear"  well.  People  who  buy 


a  good  class  of  records  do  not  lose  interest  in  their 
instruments,  while  those  who  buy  only  popular 
numbers  soon  grow  tired  of  the  records  and  of  the 
instrument    on    which    they    are    played. 

Our  experience  has  shown  us  that  a  great  many 
old-style  Edisons  have  changed  hands  in  the  past 
few  years.  In  many  cases  those  who  secured  the 
old  intruments  did  not  know  that  the  manufacture 
of  the  old  wax  records  that  fitted  them  had  ceased, 
and  when  they  discovered  this  they  have  offered  to 
sell  us  the  old  machines  or  trade  them  in  on  a 
new  instrument.  Hundreds  of  propositions  of  this 
kind  have  been  made  to  us,  and  in  many  cases  we 
succeeded  in  selling  Amberol  attachments  to  the 
possessors  of  old  machines  after  we  had  demon- 
strated the  merits  of  the  new  cylinder  records. 
When  an  instrument  is  brought  in  for  repairs  I 
never  fail  to  take  the  name  and  address  of  the 
owner  and  send  him  all  the  cylinder  literature  that 
is  designed  for  the  public. 

I  do  not  forget  the  home  recording  feature,  and 
a  great  many  of  my  customers  make  use  of  it  con- 
tinuously. 

Keeping  a  complete  stock  of  records  I  find  -very 
essential  to  the  success  of  my  cylinder  business. 

By  endeavoring  to  do  all  the  business  I  possibly 
could,  I  believe  I  have  met  successfully  the  com- 
petition that  has  resulted  from  the  introduction  of 
the  disc  type  of  instrument,  and  I  believe  that  every 
alert  and  active  dealer  can  be  just  as  successful  if 
he  will  take  advantage  of  the  opportunities  that 
present  themselves  for  reviving  old  business  and 
creating  new  business. 


A  LITTLE  SCHEME  FOR  SMALL 
DEALERS 

HERE    is    a    way    for    the    Diamond    Amberola 
dealer  who  is  the  proprietor  of  a  small  store 
to  make  an  asset  out  of  his  space  limitations 
and  attract  attention  and  people  to  his  store. 

In  a  conspicuous  place  in  your  window,  or  some- 
where in  front  of  your  store,  have  a  card  bearing 
the  following  inscription: 

THIS    MAY  BE  A  LITTLE    STORE 

BUT    IT  IS   LARGE    ENOUGH    TO 

CONTAIN  ONE  OF  THE  WONDERS 

OF  THE  MODERN  WORLD 

This  card  will  attract  attention  and  induce 
thought  on  the  part  of  those  who  read  it.  They  will 
have  a  curiosity  to  learn  just  which  wonder  you 
have  on  display  inside.  In  a  surprising  number  of 
cases  you   will    find   that  curious   people   will    come 


into  your  place  of  business  for  the  purpose  of  learn- 
ing what  the  sign  refers  to. 

In  order  to  tell  them  what  it  is  place  a  cabinet 
Diamond  Amberola  in  a  prominent  location  in  the 
store  so  that  it  will  be  seen  at  once  by  any  person 
entering.  On  it,  or  close  to  it,  have  a  card  with 
an  inscription  as  follows: 

THIS,     THE     EDISON     DIAMOND 

AMBEROLA       PHONOGRAPH      IS 

ONE      OF      THE     WONDERS     OF 

THE    WORLD 

Every  dealer  should  follow  the  example  of  the 
housewife  in  spring  and  give  his  store  and  stock 
an  overhauling  and  a  renovation.  This  is  the 
season  of  the  year  to  prepare  for  the  selling  cam- 
paign of  the  summer  and  the  best  way  to  do  this  is 
to  commence  immediately  to  stock  up  adequately. 
You  will  be  surprised  at  the  effect  that  a  large 
and   clean   stock   will    have  on   vour  summer   sales. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  MAY,  1916 


GET  AFTER  YOUR  JOBBER  FOR 
SOME  OF  THESE 

ACTIVITY  in  the  Amberola  line  is  increasing 
every  day.  We  are  adding  new  Amberola 
dealers  at  the  rate  of  almost  fifty  a  month,  144 
in  all  having  taken  on  the  Amberola  line  since  the 
first  of  the  year.  These  are  facts  that  are  making 
the  pessimistically  inclined  individual  realize  that 
there  is  quite  a  crowd  climbing  on  the  Edison  band 
wagon. 


J  pRonoyvajifo 
for  every  dome 


■Sr- 


EDISON 

DIAMOND 

AMBEROLA 

PHONOGRAPHS 


Vt 


We  are  going  to  distribute  to  Amberola  dealers, 
through  their  jobbers,  the  artistic  little  four  page 
leaflet  illustrated  on  this  page.  Just  the  thing  for  a 
follow-up  to  interest  folks  and  arouse  the  in- 
terest of  others  in  the  Amberola  line.  When  you 
get  your  supply  from  your  jobber  send  them  out  to 
your  prospects,  enclose  them  with  your  bills,  trade 
announcements,  etc.,  and  hand  them  out  to  callers 
at  the  store.  The  cut  does  not  show  the  full  size, 
as  the  leaflet  itself  is  designed  to  fit  a  No.  6^4  en- 
velope, the  standard  small  size  business  correspond- 
ence envelope.  It  is  also  convenient  to  slip  into 
the  pocket  when  handed  out  or  picked  up  from  the 
counter.  Order  from  your  jobber  as  many  of 
these    leaflets    as  you   can   use   to   good    advantage. 


A  WELCOME  INTRUDER 

WE  wonder  if  most  of  our  dealers  have  an  idea 
that  they  are  intruding  on  our  time  when  they 
write  us  a  letter  referring  to  their  business, 
or  to  the  merits  or  demerits  of  the  Edison  Amberola 
line.  Our  wonder  is  caused  by  the  fact  that  re- 
cently we  received  a  letter  from  W.  W.  Averill, 
the  Edison  dealer  in  Pomfret  Centre,  Conn.,  in 
which  he  makes  a  number  of  pointed  observations 
regarding  the  tone  qualities  of  the  Diamond  Am- 
berola, and  then  apologizes  for  writing  on  the 
ground  that  he  may  be  "intruding."  The  Edison 
front  door  is  always  wide  open  to  "intruders"  of 
the  kind  that  we  introduce  below,  and  if  any  of  our 
dealers  have  any  of  them  that  they  can  send  this 
way  we  guarantee  that  they  will  be  given  the  best 
of  care  when  they  arrive.  Here  is  the  "intruder" 
that  Mr.  Averill  sent  us: 

"Your  Musical  Phonograph  Division  Sales 
Bulletin  No,  24  is  a  'corker' — more  truth  than 
poetry  in  it.  For  instance,  only  last  week  I  placed 
an  Amberola  VI.  which  had  been  rented  three 
months,  sold  once  and  repaired  twice,  beside  one  of 

these    'squawking    machines,'    ,    and 

sold  the  old  Amberola  VI.  on  its  tone  superiority 
alone.  The  'squawker'  went  back  to  Norwich,  where 
it  came  from.  I'm  just  itching  to  place  an  Amberola 
50  or  75  beside  any  of  the  'mushroom  squawkers'  for 
comparison,  and  if  it  is  tone-quality  they  are  look- 
ing for  the  sale  is  mine.  Didn't  have  to  try  at  all 
to  trim  a  well-known  talking  machine  with  an 
Amberola  75.  Please  pardon  my  intrusion  on  your 
valuable  time,  but  I  couldn't  help  feeling  elated 
over  seeing  my  own  ideas  in  print  contained  in 
above-mentioned  bulletin." 

The  bulletin  referred  to  by  Mr.  Averill  is  the  one 
in  which  an  answer  was  made  to  certain  dealers 
who  desired  to  know  what  attitude  Thomas  A.  Edi- 
son, Inc.,  takes  toward  the  cheap  talking  machines 
that  are  flooding  the  market.  The  substance  of  the 
bulletin  was  that  the  Edison  Company  is  not  at  all 
concerned  over  the  appearance  of  the  numerous 
cheap  machines,  and  that  it  is  engaged  in  manu- 
facturing a  product  that  places  it  apart  from  and 
above  any  other  concern  engaged  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  sound-reproducing  instruments. 


STARTS  EMPLOYEES  ON  ROAD  TO 
THRIFT 

THAT  he  has  his  employes'  welfare  at  heart 
was  recently  demonstrated  by  W.  R.  Carlton, 
president  of  the  Carlton  Music  Co.,  Edison 
Amberola  dealers,  of  Long  Beach,  Cal.  He  pro- 
posed to  every  member  of  his  company's  force  that 
if  they  would  open  an  account  in  a  local  savings 
bank  with  a  deposit  of  $1  the  company  would  add  a 
dollar  to  it.  The  employees  gladly  accepted  the 
suggestion  and  went  in  force  to  the  bank,  where 
they  each  opened  an  account  in  accordance  with 
President  Carlton's  offer. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  MAY,  1916 


Humorous 


WANTED  HARMONY 


id    th< 


"There's    no    pleasing    some    people,' 
janitor. 

"What's  the  trouble?" 

"A  family  upstairs  telephones  me  that  they  were 
trying  to  play  'The  Anvil  Chorus'  on  the  phono- 
graph, and  wouldn't  I  please  regulate  the  knocking 
of  the  radiator  so  as  to  keep  in  time  with  the 
music." 


MIGHT  DANCE,  TOO 

Settlement  Worker — My  poor  woman,  what  can 
I  do  to  relieve  your  distress? 

Woman — Can  you  sing,  ma'am  ? 

Settlement  Worker — Why — er — a   little. 

Woman — I  wish  you'd  sing  some  of  the  new  rag- 
time songs,  ma'am.  Me  and  my  husband  ain't 
een  to  a  cabaret  in  two  years. 


PIPE    THIS 

First  Musician — Don't  you  think  Miss  Shriekit's 
voice  lacks  warmth? 

Second  Musician — I  do ;  but  there  seems  to  be  a 
lot  of  hot  air  about  her  upper  register! 


DIPLOMATIC  ADVICE 

"Father,"  asked  the  young  girl,  "the  piano  is 
really  my  own,  isn't  it?" 

"Why  yes,  my  dear." 

"And  when  I  marry  I  can  take  it  with  me,  can't 
I?" 

"Certainly,  my  dear,"  replied  her  father;  "but 
don't  mention  that  to  any  of  your  suitors;  it  might 
injure  your  chances." 


ELBOWS  FOR  MUSIC 

"Ethel   is  taking  violin   lessons." 
"She  is?     Why,  the  poor  girl  hasn't  the  slightest 
ear  for  music." 

"I  know,  but  she  has  beautiful  elbows." 


ONE  THING  CERTAIN 

"What  is  your  favorite  musical  composition?" 
"Haven't    picked    it   yet,"    replied    Mr.    Cumrox. 
"But  I'll  say  right  now  it's  going  to  be  something 
my  daughter  doesn't  try  to  sing  or  play." 


First  Kid — We  got  a  phonygraph  at  our  house. 
Second  Kid — So've  we.     We  got  ours  on  the  in- 
solvent plan. 


ROCHESTER  DEALERS  BANQUET 
AND  ELECT  OFFICERS 

At  the  first  annual  banquet  of  the  Rochester 
(N.  Y.)  Dealers'  Association,  held  recently  at  the 
Hotel  Rochester,  William  Levis,  of  the  Levis 
Music  Store,  Edison  Amberola  Dealers,  was  elected 
treasurer,  and  Yale  Whitney,  of  the  Edison  Shop, 
was  elected  an  auditor  for  the  ensuing  year.  This 
first  get-together  of  Rochester  phonograph  dealers 
nroved  a  substantial  success,  there  being  over  fifty 

presentatives  of  the  trade  in  attendance.  Among 
the  visitors  was  James  Neal  of  Neal,  Clark  & 
Neal,   Edison  Amberola  jobbers  at  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 


GENERAL  REVIVAL  OF  AMBEROLA 
BUSINESS 

A  HEARTY  and  cheering  optimism  seems  to  be 
the  keynote  of  many  letters  from  Diamond 
Amberola  dealers  that  are  being  received  dur- 
ing these  spring  months.  According  to  many  deal- 
ers a  period  of  cylinder  prosperity  is  already  upon 
them,  but  these  generally  account  for  their  success 
by  sending  in  details  of  aggressive  sales  and  ad- 
vertising campaigns.  Other  dealers  feel  evidences 
of  the  steadily  increasing  interest  that  the  public  is 
taking  in  the  cylinder  line  and  they  are  stocking  up 
with  Amberolas  and  Blue  Amberol  records. 


One  of  these  characteristic  boosting  letters  was 
received  recently  from  C.  E.  Taylor,  of  Granville 
Center,  Pa.,  a  little  country  town  in  which  he  has 
been  located  as  a  music  dealer  and  Edison  repre- 
sentative for  many  years. 

"Some  fourteen  years  ago,"  writes  Mr.  Taylor, 
"I  procured  some  of  the  small  'Gem'  instruments 
and  started  selling  phonographs  along  with  pianos 
and  organs.  I  have  been  selling  Edison  Phono- 
graphs and  Records  ever  since,  and  have  never 
sold  or  handled  any  other  kind,  because  I  have  al- 
ways considered  the  Edison  as  superior  to  all  others. 
About  six  years  ago  it  seemed  as  though  everybody 
in  our  locality  had  been  supplied  with  a  phono- 
graph, and  since  then  business  has  been  slow.  But 
I  find  that  the  demand  for  them  is  growing,  and  I 
hope  to  do  a  nice  business  in  the  future.  I  am  loyal 
to  the  Edison  product,  and  will  do  all  the  phono- 
graph business  I  can  in  connection  with  my  music 
store." 


Gomer  Jones,  Edison  Amberola  dealer  at  Man- 
kato,  Minn.,  is  having  his  shop  redecorated.  New 
steel  ceilings,  hardwood  floors  and  electric  lights 
will  be  among  the  many  improvements.  He  has 
arranged  for  a  concert  hall  in  the  rear  of  his  store 
which  will  hold  more  than  sixty  persons. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  MAY,  1916 


Edison   Phonograph   Monthly 


Published  in  the  interest  of 

EDISON  AMBEROLA  PHONOGRAPHS 

AND 

BLUE  AMBEROL  RECORDS 

By  Thomas  A.  Edison,  Inc. 

ORANGE,  N.  J.,  U.  S.  A. 

Foreign  Offices: 

164  WARDOUR  ST.,  LONDON,  W.  ENGLAND 

364-372  KENT  STREET,  SYDNEY,  N.  S.  W. 

3  YORKSTRASSE,   BERLIN 
59  RUE  DES  PETITES-ECURIES,  PARIS 


Your  Window 

The  average  merchant  of  the  smaller  class  who 
makes  use  of  newspaper  advertising  and  window 
displays  is  inclined  to  give  more  attention  to  the 
composition  of  his  advertisements  than  to  the 
trimming  of  his  windows.  The  reason  for  this 
probably  lies  in  the  fact  that  he  is  paying  hard  cash 
for  newspaper  space  while  he  is  not  paying  any- 
thing for  the  window  in  which  he  displays  his 
goods.  He  does  not  stop  to  consider  that  the  cost 
of  his  window  is  figured  in  his  rent  or  in  his  taxes 
and  cost  of  upkeep. 

Your  window  is  as  good  an  advertising  medium 
as  you  have  access  to,  and  its  value  might  be  im- 
pressed on  you  if  you  will  make  some  attempt  to 
reduce  its  worth  to  terms  of  dollars  and  cents. 
Figure  up  what  part  of  your  rent  you  are  paying 
for  having  display  windows,  and  take  the  same 
care  in  arranging  displays  in  them  as  you  would 
in   writing  a   newspaper  advertisement. 


Vacancies 

Did  you  ever  pause  to  consider  the  fact  that  each 
vacancy  in  your  stock  may  be  responsible  for  a 
vacancy  in  your  cash-drawer. 

Simple  logic  will  make  this  apparent  to  you.  If 
you  did  not  have  any  stock  at  all  you  would  not 
need  any  cash-drawer.  With  an  incomplete  stock 
your  cash-drawer  will  be  only  incompletely  filled. 
It  is  the  full  stock  that  provides  for  the  desires  of 
all  patrons  and  keeps  your  money-box  or  your 
bank-book  correspondingly  full.  It  will  never  be 
ruinous  to  your  business  to  have  a  few  leftovers 
each  month,  but  your  reputation  will  slowly  be 
lost  if  you  cannot  supply  the  wants  of  your  cus- 
tomers. You  must  never  allow  a  vacancy  to  de- 
velop in  your  record  stock  and  to  prevent  this  you 
must  keep  watch  of  your  sales  and  make  frequent 
repeat  orders  as  well  as  ordering  the  complete  list 
of  Blue  Amberol  records  each  month.  There  is  a 
vast  importance  in  selling  satisfaction  as  well  as 
merchandise;  and  delivery  without  delay  is  one  of 
the  most  important  elements  of  good  service. 


Art  and  Business 

A  bank  deals  in  money  and  in  such  an  institu- 
tion it  is  good  policy  to  display  gigantic  steel 
vaults,  barred  windows,  and  other  equipment  that 
suggests  the  dollar  and  its  value.  The  Edison 
dealer,  however,  is  merchandising  art  and,  inas- 
much as  art  and  money  seem  to  be  diametrically 
opposed,  it  is  best  to  keep  your  cash  register  out  of 
sight  and  base  your  efforts  to  sell  instruments  on 
other  primary  arguments  than  those  relating  to 
price.  Too  much  talk  about  the  price  will  lead 
your  prospect  to  believe  that  you  are  more  inter- 
ested in  the  figure  that  the  instrument  sells  at  than 
you  are  in  the  quality  of  it  and  the  service  that  it 
will  give.  The  theme  of  the  song  of  the  cash 
register  is  "profit,  profit,  profit,"  and  the  theme 
that  you  wish  to  impress  upon  your  prospects  is 
"quality,    quality,    quality." 

Give  your  prospects  high  class  demonstrations 
and  dwell  on  the  many  advantages  of  the  Diamond 
Amberola.  Discuss  the  splendid  records  that  ar/> 
listed  in  the  Blue  Amberol  catalog  and  the  artis,^ 
or  organizations  by  which  the  records  were  made. 
Talk  about  quality,  service,  and  art  first,  and 
leave  the  discussion  of  money  and  price  until  last 
and  you  will  find  that  you  will  sell  better  instru- 
ments and  more  of  them  than  by  making  price  your 
sole  argument. 


Development 

The  day  when  anybody  was  considered  competent 
to  demonstrate  and  sell  sound-reproducing  instru- 
ments has  passed  and  only  those  who  are  special- 
izing in  the  study  of  the  development  of  the  instru- 
ment and  who  are  students  of  music  are  realizing 
the  full  possibilities  that  the  merchandising  of  the 
phonograph  offers.  There  was  a  time  when  the 
phonograph  was  considered  a  novelty  that  could 
be  sold  by  any  cheap  canvasser  or  dealer,  but  th: 
was  when  it  was  first  placed  on  the  market  ark 
when  the  range  of  selections  that  might  be  played 
b\    it  was  extremely  limited. 

The  improvements  that  have  developed  the 
phonograph  from  the  first  crude  instrument  to  the 
superb  Edison  instrument  of  to-day  have  steadily 
broadened  the  range  of  the  music  that  is  adaptable 
to  it  and  have  brought  the  phonograph  business  to 
a  point  where  it  is  a  complex  study  and  where  it 
requires  a  person  of  musical  education  and  appre- 
ciation to  demonstrate  and  sell  an  instrument.  This 
development  has  created  a  situation  that  is  highly 
favorable  to  the  alert  and  modern  dealer  and  that 
is  fatal  to  the  reactionary  or  unprogressive  mer- 
chants who  do  not  keep  their  own  development 
abreast  of  the  improvements  that  are  made  in  the 
merchandise    they    handle. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  MAY,  1916 


Doings  of  Edison  Artists 


It  is  a  difficult  task  for  a  musical  artist  to  give 
unaided  a  concert  that  will  hold  the  attention  and 
win  the  appreciation  of  a  critical  audience,  and  yet 
this  is  just  what  Albert  Spalding,  the  famous  Amer- 
ican violinist,  did  twice  within  a  week  recently. 
One  of  these  occasions  was  in  Newark,  N.  J., 
where  he  was  engaged  to  give  a  concert  assisted  by 
Loretta  Del  Valle.  The  latter  was  taken  ill  two 
days  before  the  date  of  the  concert  and  Mr.  Spald- 
ing was  obliged  to  appear  alone.  A  few  days 
later  he  and  Andreas  de  Segurola  were  scheduled 
to  appear  in  a  joint  recital  in  Kansas  City,  but 
shortly  before  the  date  fixed  for  their  appearance 
the  Metropolitan  artist  found  that  it  would  be  im- 
possible to  leave  New  York,  so  Mr.  Spalding  again 
had  to  appear  without  assistance.  Mr.  Spalding 
later  played  a  return  engagement  in  Newark 
assisted  bv  Madame  Del   Valle. 


Marie  Kaiser  will  make  a  demonstrating  tour 
through  Texas,  Colorado  and  Oklahoma  during 
the  spring  and  summer  months.  Miss  Kaiser  has 
resigned  from  a  very  lucrative  church  engagement 
in  New  York  in  order  to  make  the  tour.  She  left 
for  the  west  after  her  appearance  at  the  concert 
given  on  April  22  by  the  Handel  and  Haydn  Society 
of  Boston.  On  a  previous  tour  made  by  Miss 
Kaiser  for  the  Edison  Company  she  traveled  over 
nine  States  and  sang  before  more  than  50,000 
persons. 

Herman  Sandby,  the  famous  'cello  player,  re- 
cently appeared  at  an  American-Scandinavian  So- 
ciety concert  in  the  dual  role  of  soloist  and  com- 
poser. He  rendered  a  composition  of  his  own,  a 
concerto  for  the  'cello.  Musical  America  made  the 
following  comment  on  this  number  of  the  program: 

"There  was  much  interest  in  the  first  New'  York 
hearing  of  Herman  Sandby's  'cello  concerto,  played 
by  the  composer.  It  is  an  extremely  melodious 
work,  in  which  the  Danish  'cellist  has  limited  the 
instrument  to  its  own  proper  sphere,  and  has  not 
tried  to  make  it  speak  the  language  of  the  violin. 
The  first  and  second  movements  are  marked  by 
lovely  melodies — beautifully  played — and  the 
Finale  provides  a  brilliant  contrast.  The  work 
was  received  with  considerable  approbation  and 
the   composer   was    recalled    several    times." 


Mary  Jordan,  the  prominent  contralto,  whose 
Blue  Amberol  reproductions  have  delighted  owners 
of  Amberolas  in  all  parts  of  the  world,  was  one 
of  the  artists  who  appeared  in  the  last  musicale 
that  was  given  at  the  White  House  in  Washington 
this  season.  The  artists  associated  with  Miss  Jor- 
dan in  the  concert  were  Percy  Grainger,  pianist; 
Paul  Reimers,  tenor,  and  Charles  Gilbert,  accom- 
panist at  the  piano.     Miss  Jordan  was  among  those 


who    enjoyed    a    dinner    with    President    and    Mrs. 
Wilson,  the  social  affair  following  the  concert. 

Miss  Jordan  narrowly  escaped  injury  in  an 
elevator  accident  in  New  York  recently.  She  was 
leaving  the  Mishkin  photograph  studio  when  the 
elevator,  which  she  occupied  with  two  other  passen- 
gers, dropped  several  stories.  In  order  to  rescue 
the  occupants  of  the  car  it  was  necessary  to  cut  a 
hole  through  the  top  of  it  and  reach  them  with  a 
ladder.  Miss  Jordan  was  shaken  up  badly  but 
received   no   serious  injuries. 


Charles  N.  Granville  has  been  engaged  as  a 
baritone  soloist  in  connection  with  the  Detroit  May 
Festival  on  May  6.  He  will  sing  the  part  of  Val- 
entine in  "Faust." 


The  Tollefsen  Trio,  who  have  made  several 
beautiful  Blue  Amberol  records,  recently  gave  their 
only  New  York  recital  of  the  season,  the  feature 
of  the  program  being  a  rendition  of  a  trio  by  an 
American,  Rubin  Goldmark.  The  members  of  the 
Tollefsen  organization  were  commended  highly  by 
the  critics  for  their  artistic  playing,  one  expressing 
surprise  that  they  were  not  heard  in  the  metropolis 
earlier  in  the  season. 


"To  a  Nightingale,"  the  latest  song  by  George 
B.  Nevin,  is  dedicated  to  Christine  Miller,  the  noted 
contralto    and    popular   Blue   Amberol    artist. 


Margaret  Keyes  was  highly  praised  by  Detroit 
music  critics  following  her  appearance  in  a  Lenten 
morning  musicale  that  was  given  in  the  latter  part 
of  March  at  the  Ponchartrain  Hotel  under  the  di- 
rection of  Charles  Frederic  Morse.  She  sang  four 
groups  of  songs,  displaying  a  surprising  versatility. 
"Her  diction  was  as  refined  as  her  voice  was  beau- 
tiful,"   said    one   critic. 


A  defense  of  coloratura  singing  was  recently 
made  by  Alice  Verlet,  the  famous  coloratura 
soprano,  who  has  delighted  thousands  of  people 
through  her  beautiful  renditions  on  Edison  records. 
The  singer  believes  that  the  attitude  of  music  critics 
toward  coloratura  singing  should  be  more  serious. 
"I  tell  you  that  in  ten  years,  if  their  attacks  keep 
up,  there  will  be  no  more  coloratura  singers,"  she 
recently  said.  "The  public,  told  constantly  that  the 
art  is  childish,  will  begin  to  believe  it — at  least 
that  section  of  the  public  that  is  influenced  by  snob- 
bishness. I  feel  that  this  is  regrettable.  The  field 
of  art  is  broad  and  while,  perhaps,  coloratura  sing- 
ing is  not  the  greatest  of  arts,  it  is  gay,  sunlit  and 
innocent."     A  beautiful    example  of  the   art  of  the 


10 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  MAY,  1916 


coloratura  soprano  has  been  recorded  for  the  Blue 
Amberol  catalog  by  Miss  Verlet  in  "Spring  Voices," 
a  waltz-song  by  Strauss,  record  No.  28205. 


That  Paulo  Gruppe  is  acquiring  a  greater  and 
greater  mastery  of  the  'cello  as  the  years  go  by, 
is  the  opinion  of  Musical  America  following  the 
recent  appearance  of  the  young  Dutch  'cellist  in  a 
recital  in  New  York.  "Mr.  Gruppe  has  grown  ap- 
preciably as  an  artist  since  he  first  played  here  six 
years  ago,"  states  the  criticism.  "His  performances 
show  great  gains  in  the  way  of  style,  authority  and 
breadth,  a  riper  intelligence  and  musicianship. 
He  has  acquired  a  considerable  degree  of  technical 
assurance  and  developed  those  qualities  of  under- 
standing and  temperament  necessary  to  bring  forth 
successfully  the  deeper  elements  of  what  he  essays." 


"Like  an  oasis  in  a  desert  was  the  song  recital  of 
Miss  Julia  Heinrich  yesterday  afternoon — a  re- 
freshment for  the  weary  listener  to  music,  a  relief 
from  the  tiresome  monotony  of  monotonous  things, 
an  uplift  for  the  mind,  a  gratification  to  the  ear 
tired  of  the  strident  and  stridulous  strivings  of  in- 
capables,"  is  a  comment  of  a  musical  critic  concern- 
ing a  recent  appearance  of  Miss  Heinrich  in  New 
York.  "She  is  an  artist  and  one  high  up  in  the 
scale,"  it  concludes  after  giving  the  singer  other 
high  praise  for  her  rare  ability. 


OLD    INSTRUMENT    MAKES    AGED 
MAN  AND  CHILDREN  HAPPY 

A  COMMUNICATION  full  of  human  interest 
was  recently  received  from  W.  Ulrich,  of 
Spokane,  Washington,  who  owns  an  old- 
style,  wax-record  instrument,  which,  after  many 
years  of  faithful  service,  is  still  adding  to  the 
happiness  of  many  people. 

"I  am  an  old  man  without  a  family.  I  have  one 
of  your  concert  machines  that  you  used  to  call 
'Opera.'  I  was  four  years  in  southeastern  Mis- 
souri, and  while  there  became  very  popular  with 
the  small  children.  When  I  left  there  for  the  West 
half  of  the  children  in  town  were  down  at  the  depot 
to  see  me  off.  They  all  wanted  me  to  write  them, 
and  I  promised  that  they  should  all  hear  from  me, 
that  I  would   not  forget  a   single  one  of  them. 

"When  I  reached  this  city  I  put  a  recorder  and  a 
blank  record  on  my  machine,  sat  down  and  talked 
to  the  whole  bunch  of  children,  calling  them  all  by 
name,  and  telling  them  some  funny  little  story  just 
the  same  as  though  they  were  all  around  me.  Then 
I  sent  them  this  record  and  someone  in  the  town 
who  owned  an  Edison  instrument  played  it  for  them. 
I  heard  that  they  jumped  up  and  down  and  clapped 
their  hands  with  delight  when  they  heard  grandpa 
talking  to  them  from  two  thousand  miles  away,  and 
now  I  often  send  them  such  records. 

"I  merely  write  you  these  few  lines  as  I  thought 
Mr.  Edison  might  be  personally  interested  to  know 
the  novel  use  his  machine  had  been  put  to." 


TRADED   AUTOMOBILE   FOR   GEM 
PHONOGRAPH 

*<TF  you  can't  make  an   automobile  go  you  can 


I 


make  a  phonograph  go,"  is  what  a  man  who 
lives  down  in  Ohio  must  have  said  to  himself 
before  he  went  out  and  traded  his  automobile  for 
an  Edison  Gem  Phonograph.  This  is  a  new  in- 
cident in  the  annals  of  "trading,"  but  it  is  vouched 
for  by  Martin  G.  Chandler,  Edison  dealer  in  Chilli- 
cothe,  Ohio,  who  tells  of  it  in  the  following  letter: 

"A  man  brought  into  our  store  recently  one  of  the 
old-style  Gem  Phonographs  for  repairs.  As  it 
needed  a  new  sapphire  and  a  new  spring  we  en- 
deavored to  sell  him  a  new  model,  taking  his  old 
machine  in  exchange.  He  stated,  however,  that  he 
had  just  gotten  it  in  trade,  that  he  did  not  have 
much  in  it  and  did  not  care  to  go  to  any  further 
expense. 

"After  some  questioning  he  told  us  that  he  traded 
an  automobile  for  it.  'It  was  an  old  model,  about 
1909,'  he  said,  'and  as  it  had  not  run  good  since  I 
took  it  apart  last  summer  I  thought  that  I  had  bet- 
ter get  rid  of  it.  It  had  two  fair  tires  on  it,  but,  as 
I  said,  it  didn't  run  good  after  I  tinkered  with  it, 
and  so  I  let  it  go." 


The  Pueblo  Phonograph  Company,  Pueblo,  Col., 
has  just  received  its  incorporation  papers  and  be- 
come a  full  fledged  Edison  Amberola  dealer.  It  is 
planned  by  A.  J.  Reynolds,  president  and  treasurer 
of  the  new  organization,  and  his  brother,  C.  A. 
Reynolds,  vice-president  and  manager,  to  have  re- 
citals at  least  twice  a  week.  They  are  both  en- 
thusiastic over  the  outlook  for  business. 


EDISON  DEALER  HIGHLY  PRAISED 

Our  Houston,  Texas,  dealers,  the  Houston  Music 
Company,  were  very  nicely  written  up  in  a  late 
issue  of  a  music  trade  paper.  Some  of  the  nice 
things  said  about  them  was  that  they  are  one  of 
the  most  progressive  concerns  in  their  line  to-day. 
Further,  that  they  carry  one  of  the  most  extensive 
lines  in  the  state  and  through  specializing  in  these 
lines  are  in  a  position  to  furnish  most  excellent 
service.  Harry  H.  Houston,  general  manager,  who 
located  in  Houston  about  a  year  ago,  is  already 
stated  to  have  become  a  shining  light  among  the 
younger  business  men  of  his  city. 

Manager  Houston  is  reported  to  have  made  a 
success  of  all  his  undertakings  and  his  present  one 
seems  to  hold  out  every  promise  of  becoming  one  of 
his  most  successful.  Houston  is  a  long  way  from 
Orange,  but  if  you  can  stretch  it,  gentlemen,  here's 
our  hand  to  the  H.  M.  Company. 


It  affords  us  considerable  satisfaction  when  a 
dealer  writes  in,  either  condemning,  commending 
or  commenting  on  an  article  in  the  Phonograph 
Monthly,  for  then  we  are  sure  of  one  thing.  We 
know  we  have  interested  him  one  way  or  the  other. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  MAY,  1916 


11 


Some  of  the  Artists  in  the  April  List  of 
Blue  Amberol  Records 


MARIE  SUNDELIUS 

Marie  Sundelius,  the  famous  Scandinavian  so- 
prano, is  the  latest  artist  of  note  to  be  secured  to 
make  Blue  Amberol  records,  her  first  contribution 
being  "With  Verdure  Clad,"  from  Haydn's  "Cre- 
ation," which  appears  on  the  May-June  list.  Mme. 
Sundelius  has  lived  in  this  country  since  she  was 
ten  years  old  and  has  won  her  way  to  success 
without  the  prestige  that  a  career  in  Europe  gives 
a  singer.  She  has  a  voice  of  unusual  timbre. 
There  is  a  solidity  to  her  high  tones;  they  are 
round  and  velvety,  as  well  as  bell-like.  Mme. 
Sundelius  is  doing  splendid  work  in  introducing 
the  folk  songs  of  the  Scandinavian  countries  to 
American  audiences  and  her  efforts  along  this  line 
recently  have   won   her  much   attention. 


OTTO  GORITZ 

Otto  Goritz,  the  famous  baritone  of  the  Metro- 
politan Opera  Company,  who  recently  entered  the 
ranks  of  Blue  Amberol  artists  with  a  rendition  of 
"Am  Rhein  und  bein  Wein,"  is  a  singer  whose 
superb  voice  and  attractive  personality  have  won 
him  a  devoted  following  of  opera  lovers  in  all 
parts  of  the  world.  He  became  connected  with  the 
Metropolitan  Opera  Company  several  years  ago 
and  his  splendid  voice  and  his  genius  for  acting 
have   combined    to   raise   him    to    a    secure    position 


among  the  greatest  singers  of  that  notable  organi- 
zation. His  versatility  is  remarkable  and  his  per- 
formances in  serious  and  humorous  roles  are 
equally  effective.  Among  the  roles  that  he  has 
sung  are  Klingsor,  Alberich,  Wolfram,  Telramund, 
Hans  Sachs,  Beckmesser,  Burgomaster  and  Pap- 
ageno.  Mr.  Goritz  will  be  a  welcome  addition  to 
the  Blue  Amberol  artists  and  it  is  anticipated  that 
his  records  will  be  in  great  demand. 

MARIE  DELNA 

Marie  Delna,  contralto,  who  is  one 
of  the  favorites  and  who  is  known 
as  "our  Delna"  to  all  music  loving 
Parisians,  was  born  in  the  French 
capital  and  made  her  debut  at  the 
Opera  Comique  when  she  was  only 
sixteen  years  of  age.  On  this  oc- 
casion she  sang  the  part  of  Didon 
in  the  Berlioz  opera  "Les  Troy- 
ens,"  and  the  manner  in  which  she 
sang  and  acted  established  her  an  immediate 
reputation  as  a  great,  though  youthful,  artist.  She 
sang  at  the  Opera  Comique  for  four  years  and 
remained  in  her  native  city  until  1903.  She  then 
sang  for  three  years  in  many  of  the  musical  cen- 
ters of  France,  Spain  and  Italy  and  everywhere 
met  with  great  success.  To-day  she  is  considered 
the  greatest  French  operatic  contralto. 

CHARLES  GRANVILLE 
Charles  Granville,  who  has  made 
a  splendid  record  of  "Strike  Up  a 
Song"  (Morgan)  for  the  May-June 
Blue  Amberol  list,  is  an  American 
trained  artist,  having  received  his 
entire  musical  education  in  this 
country.  Among  the  eminent  mas- 
ters with  whom  he  studied  may  be 
mentioned  the  world  renowned  bar- 
itone, Victor  Maurel,  whose  pupil 
he  was  for  five  years.  Mr.  Gran- 
ville came  into  prominence  in  1912  when  he  ap- 
peared in  a  recital  in  Aeolian  Hall,  New  York,  and 
was  praised  unanimously  by  the  critics  for  his 
beautiful  voice,  remarkable  diction  and  highly 
artistic  interpretations.  Since  that  time  he  has 
made  appearances  in  many  concerts  and  recitals 
and  he  is  now  recognized  as  one  of  America's  ablest 
baritones. 

EDWARD  MEEKER 
"Railroad      Jim,"      the      new      and™1 
highly  popular   ditty   that   is   being 
widely  sung,  has  been  recorded  for 
the   Blue   Amberol   catalog   by   Ed- 
ward   Meeker,     and    his    rendition 
makes  this  song  one  of  the  popular 
features   of    the    current    list.      Mr. 
Meeker,     who     has    specialized     in 
singing  songs  of  the  popular  variety 
and  who  is  known  from  Maine  to 
California    as    a    singer   of    "coon" 
songs,   was   born   in   Orange,    N.  J.,   and   began   his 
stage   career    as    a   member    of   Miller's    Twentieth 
Century   Minstrels    during   the    seasons    of    1898-99 
and    for    four    years    was    connected    with    Hoyt's 


12 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  MAY,  1916 


Minstrel  Company.  He  is  now  established  as  a 
high-class  entertainer  and  caters  mostly  to  the 
exclusive  clubs  of  Manhattan. 

PAULO  GRUPPE 
Paulo  Gruppe,  the  famous  young 
Dutch  'cellist,  comes  from  one  of 
the  best  known  family  of  artists  in 
Holland.  His  father,  Charles  P. 
Gruppe,  is  one  of  Holland's  best 
known  painters  and  is  producing 
some  remarkable  pictures.  His 
mother  is  a  gifted  actress  and  he 
has  two  younger  brothers,  one  a 
prominent  sculptor  and  the  other  a 
pianist  who  is  winning  artistic  laurels  for  his  mas- 
tery of  his  instrument.  It  will  be  seen  that  Paulo 
Gruppe  had  the  advantages  of  artistic  environment 
as  a  boy  and  perhaps  this  had  something  to  do  with 
his  mastery  of  the  'cello.  He  has  appeared  in  all 
of  the  greatest  musical  centers  of  America  and 
everywhere  his  playing  has  evoked  the  most  en- 
thusiastic praise  of  critics.  To  hear  is  to  praise, 
for  the  young  Dutch  artist  is  not  only  a  technical 
genius  but  he  has  a  wonderful  temperament  for 
one  of  his  age  and  his  playing  is  always  marked 
by  the  strength  and  enthusiasm  of  youth. 

HANS  KRONOLD 
Hans  Kronold  was  born  in  Krakau, 
Austria,  July  3,  1872.  His  earlier 
school  and  musical  education  was 
acquired  in  Leipsic,  Germany.  In 
1886  the  Kronold  family  came  to 
America,  settling  in  New  York 
City.  It  was  there  that  Hans  came 
in  contact  with  that  greatest  of  all 
'cellists,  Anton  Hekking,  and  im- 
mediately took  advantage  of  the 
opportunity  to  study  with  this  fam- 
ous artist.  In  1900  Mr.  Kronold  decided  to  aban- 
don the  orchestral  held  and  devote  himself  entirely 
to  solo  playing.  He  met  with  almost  instantaneous 
success  and  has  appeared  with  many  great  artists, 
among  them  being  Schumann-Heink,  Nordica, 
Eames,  De  Reszke,  Bispham,  Companari  and 
Scharwenka. 


A  LITTLE  MISSIONARY  WORK 
REVIVED    BUSINESS 

A  LITTLE  missionary  work,  that  is   all  that  is 
necessary    to    revive    the    interest    in    cylinder 
phonographs    in    districts    where    business    has 
not  been  active  for  the  past  two  or  three  years,  ac- 
cording to  John  Merrick,  an   Edison  dealer  who  is 
located   in   Westfield,    111. 

Mr.  Merrick  states  that  he  has  found  the  cylinder 
business  very  quiet  during  the  past  two  or  three 
years,  and  that  last  year  about  all  that  he  did  was 
to  clean  out  his  stock  of  old  machines  and  two- 
minute  wax  records.  With  his  old  stock  out  of  the 
way  Mr.  Merrick,  in  the  past  few  weeks,  has  found 
time  to  do  what  he  calls  a  little  "missionary  work," 
and  he  has  found  that  people  are  keenly  interested 
in  the  new  Amberola,  and  he  has  sold  a  number 
of  instruments  and  has  several  prospects  of  further 
sales. 


"I  believe  I  can  do  some  business  from  now  on 
with  the  new  Amberolas,"  he  writes,  "for  they  are 
real  musical  instruments,  and  it  is  easy  to  get  peo- 
ple to  appreciate  the  vast  difference  between  them 
and  the  old-style  phonographs." 


TRIPS  THROUGH  FACTORY 

It  was  with  a  feeling  of  regret  that  Thomas  A. 
Fdison,  Inc.,  recently  announced  that  on  account  of 
the  work  of  re-establishing  all  departments  of  the 
Edison  Laboratories  in  the  reconstructed  buildings, 
together  with  the  extra  efforts  to  meet  the  steadily 
increasing  demands  for  Edison  products,  it  becomes 
necessary  to  eliminate  tours  of  inspection  by  visitors 
for  the  summer.  Two  exceptions  will  be  May  25th 
and  26th  and  August  24th  and  25th,  when  the 
School  of  Mechanical  Instruction  will  be  in  session. 


DEALER  KENDALL  PUBLISHES 
OWN  MAGAZINE 

EDISON  Amberola  dealer  G.  E.  Kendall,  Dun- 
dee, N.  Y.,  is  not  satisfied  with  ordinary  medi<- 
ums  of  publicity.  He  publishes  his  own  little 
magazine.  He  calls  it  "Our  Mail  Messenger  and 
Store  News,"  the  April  issue  of  which  was  No.  4. 
He  sent  us  a  copy,  and  we  have  very  much  en- 
joyed reading  it,  for  "Editor-Dealer"  Kendall  has 
managed  to  crowd  a  lot  of  good,  sound  practical 
information  within  the  compass  of  eight  pages  of 
letter  size  with  a  snatch  of  human  interest  here  and 
there  to  liven  things  up  a  bit.  But  the  best  part 
is   that   the   "Mail    Messenger"   is   bringing   results. 

An  indication  of  the  enterprise  of  Kendall  is  that 
he  has  actually  printed  his  latest  issue  in  three 
colors.  How's  that  for  a  little  store  magazine? 
Page  5  he  devotes  to  the  Diamond  Amberola  and 
Blue  Amberol  records,  Model  30  and  Model  75  be- 
ing shown  in  red,  with  the  type  in  black. 

Best  wishes  to  "Editor-Dealer"  Kendall,  and  all 
Amberola  dealers  of  his  enterprising  type. 


PHONOGRAPH  A  TRADE  PULLER 

A  recent  issue  of  The  Price  Current,  a  publica- 
tion of  Wichita,  Kansas,  thinks  that:  "The  general 
store,  with  many  departments  in  the  smaller  places, 
can  well  afford  to  put  in  a  phonograph  department 
in  order  to  make  of  it  a  means  of  pulling  trade 
into  the  store.  A  phonograph  department  in  a 
store  operated  in  a  large  city,  of  course,  is  not 
much  of  an  attraction,  since  it  is  common  to  most 
of  these  large  establishments,  but  in  the  smaller 
interior  point,  where  the  sale  of  phonographs  does 
not  warrant  investment  in  a  special  department, 
the  merchant  can  make  a  success  of  the  phonograph 
husiness,  even  though  he  does  not  sell  many  of 
the    machines." 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  MAY,  1916 


13 


INDIAtNS  delight  in  making 

OWN  RECORDS 

ANEW  trait  has  been  discovered  in  the  Amer- 
ican Indian  as  a  result  of  the  invention  of  the 
phonograph. 
The  redman  is  the  egotist  supreme  if  his  conduct 
in  relation  to  the  voice-reproducer  is  accepted  as 
providing  a  true  insight  into  his  character.  For  he 
delights  in  making  his  own  records  and  in  handing 
down  his  song  and  speech  to  posterity.  Some  of 
the  Osage  Indians,  according  to  a  letter  received 
from  the  Ryder  Music  Company,  Edison  agents  in 
Pawhuska,  Oklahoma,  have  as  many  as  two  or 
three  large  trunks  full  of  their  own  records.  In 
order  to  make  so  many  records  the  purchases  of 
blanks  necessarily  must  be  large  and  the  Indians 
buy  as  many  as  fifty  at  a  time  of  these. 

The  Ryder  Company  is  located  in  the  heart  of 
he  Indian  country  and  those  at  the  head  of 
che  concern  have  evidently  made  every  effort  to 
familiarize  themselves  with  the  likes  and  dislikes 
of  their   Indian   patrons.     "As   record   buyers,"  the 


letter  states,  "our  Indians  are  a  very  staunch  part 
of  our  come-back  trade,  and  when  they  have  the 
money  they  spend  it  freely  on  the  pleasures  of  life. 
They  love  to  be  entertained,  and  the  Edison  phono- 
graph fills  that  want  with  them.  The  Indian  buys 
mostly  the  rag  band  records  and  rag  songs  and 
some  of  the  higher  classes  of  songs.  Opera  never 
enters  their  heads,  although  we  have  two  local 
Indians  in  the  East  who  are  now  studying  for  the 
grand  opera  stage." 

Mr.  Ryder,  in  his  letter,  states  that  among  the 
records  that  are  particularly  popular  with  the 
Indians  are  "Casey  Jones,"  "Sailing  Down  the 
Chesapeake  Bay,"  "Under  the  Double  Eagle 
March,"  "Waiting  for  the  Robert  E.  Lee,"  and  all 
of  the  Indian  songs  of  the  type  of  "Silver  Bell," 
"Red  Wing,"  etc. 

The  details  of  the  interesting  letter  show  that 
the  Indians  are  fond  of  music,  generous  with  their 
money,  and  possessed  of  many  other  good  char- 
acteristics in  spite  of  the  fact  that  they  are  inor- 
dinately fond  of  listening  to  their  own  voices. 


Copyright,  Geoffrey  O'Hara 

Indians  Making  Records  for  Geoffrey  O'Hara 


SELLING   BLUE   AMBEROLS    BY 
PARCEL  POST 

THE  parcel  post  and  the  telephone  are  both 
used  by  W.  E.  Bailey,  Edison  dealer  in  Grand 
Ledge,  Mich.,  in  pushing  the  sales  of  Blue 
Amberol  records.  In  a  letter  Mr.  Bailey  speaks 
with  enthusiasm  of  the  splendid  business  that  he 
does  in  repairing  phonographs,  and  states  that  he 
finds  it  profitable  to  spend  much  of  his  own  time  in 
the  department  where  mechanical  difficulties  are 
adjusted  and  repairs  made.  Mr.  Bailey  is  also 
finding  that  the  Blue  Amberol  record  business  is 
active,  but,  according  to  his  own  phraseology,  "a 
dealer  has  to  go  after  them." 


"I  have  175  phonograph  users  whom  I  call  on  or 
'phone  to,  and  many  of  them  let  me  send  them  an 
assortment  of  records  by  parcel  post  each  month. 
When  I  send  a  box  of  six  or  a  dozen  records,  the 
people  who  get  them  often  keep  the  whole  assort- 
ment. If  you  waited  for  these  people  to  come  to 
your  store  when  they  had  to  shovel  their  way 
through  snowdrifts  they  would  not  come  very  often. 
The  improvement  that  was  made  in  January  in  the 
Blue  Amberol  records  is  being  noticed  by  all  the 
trade  around  here." 

It  is  dealers  like  Mr.  Bailey — dealers  who  rec- 
ognize the  fact  that  you  can  not  get  and  keep  cus- 
tomers unless  you  "go  after  them"  who  are  selling 
Diamond  Amberolas  and  Blue  Amberol  records, 
and    who    are   making   nice    profits   on    their   trans- 


14  EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  MAY,  1916 

It  is  Always  Possible  to  Keep  a  Record  Until  a  Customer  Comes 

But  It  Is 
Not  Always  Possible  to  Keep  a  Customer  Until  a  Record  Comes 

UP-TO-DATE   popular   and   operatic   numbers  Marie  Sundelius,  Marie  Kaiser  and  T.  Foster  Why, 

and  high  class  songs  and  selections  abound  in  and  on  the  concert  list  those  who  sung  in  the  mak- 

the  May-June  list,  and  a  glance  over  it  will  ing   of   three   superb   records   are   Marie   Rappold, 

convince  you  that  it  has  been  a  long  time  since  a  Christine  Miller,  Orphee  Langevin  and  Otto  Goritz. 

more  attractive  monthly  assortment  was  put  on  the  The  prominence  of  the  artists  who  made  some  of 

market.  the   May-June   Blue  Amberol   records   is   a   selling 

The  number  and  names  of  the  famous  artists  who  point  that  no  dealer  can  afford  to  neglect, 

appear   on   the   list   are   surprising  when   the   price  Every  record  on  the  list  is  a  "live"  one,  and  the 

for    which    Blue    Amberol    records    is    considered.  dealer  who  orders  the  entire   list  should  have  no 

Even  on  the  regular  list  there  are  such  names  as  difficulty  in  selling  every  record  on  it. 

BLUE  AMBEROL  RECORDS  FOR  MAY-JUNE 

CONCERT 

28233  Whispering  Hope,  Hawthorne,  Soprano  and  Contralto,  orch.  ace.  Marie  Rappold  and  Christine  Miller 

28234  Lorsqu'a  de  folles  amours — Traviata,  Verdi,  Baritone,  orch.  ace.  Orphee  Langevir 

28235  Als  Buhlein  Klein  and  der  Mutter  Brust — Die  Lustigen  Weiber  von  Windsor,   Nicolai,  Baritone,  in   German,       \ 

orch.  ace.  Otto  Goritz  and  Manhattan  Male  Quartet 

REGULAR 

2869  Boys  of  the  Dardanelles,  Little,  Baritone,  orch.  ace.  Frederick  Wheeler  and  Male  Chorus 

2870  For  Auld  Land  Syne!  Australia  Will  be  There,  Francis,  Baritone,  orch.  ace.  William  White  and  Male  Chorus 

2871  She  is  My  Rosie,    Harry  Lauder,  Baritone,  orch.  ace.  Glen  Ellison 

2872  Little  Cotton  Dolly,  Qeibel,  Male  voice,  unacc.  Criterion  Quartet 

2873  Waltz  Orchid,  Vecsey  Armand  Vecsey  and  His  Hungarian  Orchestra 

2874  Played  by  a  Military  Band,  Mohr,  Tenor,  orch.  ace.  Billy  Murray 

2875  What  Have  I  to  Give?  Lane,  Tenor,  orch.  ace.  Emory  B.  Randolph 

2876  Spanish  Rhapsody,  Salvetti  Alessios  Mandolin  Quartet 

2877  Memories,  Van  Alstyne,  Tenor,  orch.  ace.  Burton  Lenihan 

2878  I  Wonder  if  You  Miss  Me  Sometimes,   Hills,  Tenor,  orch.  ace.  George  Wilton  Ballard 

2879  I  Love  You,  That's  One  Thing  I  Know,  Gilbert  and  Friedland,  Tenor,  orch.  ace.  Manuel  Romain 

2880  Here  Comes  Tootsi — Around  the  Map,  Finch,  Soprano,  orch.  ace.  Gladys  Rice  and  Male  Chorus 

2881  Memphis  Blues — Fox  Trot,    Handy,  for  Dancing  National  Promenade  Band 

2882  Serenade,  Schubert,  Violin,  Violoncello,  Flute  and  Harp  Venetian  Instrumental  Quartet 

2883  All  Aboard  For  Chinatown,  Brookhouse,  orch.  ace.  Arthur  Collins  and  Byron  G.  Harlan 

2884  Stop!  Look!  Listen!— Fox  Trot,  Berlin,  for  Dancing  Jaudas'  Society  Orchestra 

2885  Songs  of  Other  Days — No.  1,  orch.  ace.  Metropolitan  Mixed  Chorus 

2886  Babes  in  the  Wood— Fox  Trot,    Kern,  for  Dancing  Jaudas'  Society  Orchestra 

2887  Song  of  the  Soul,  Briel,  Soprano,  orch.  ace.  Marie  Kaiser 

2888  Songs  We  Used  to  Sing  in  Dixie  Land,  Caro  Roma,  Contralto,  orch  ace.  Merlp  Alcock  and  Male  Chorus 

2889  Katinka,  Friml,  Tenor,  orch.  ace.  Walter  Van  Brunt  and  Male  Chorus 

2890  Baby  (Swing  High,  Swing  Low),  Bennett,  Contralto,  orch.  ace.  Helen  Clark 

2891  Blow,  Blow,  Thou  Winter  Wind,  Sarjeant,  Basso,  orch.  ace.  T.  Foster  Why 

2892  With  Verdure  Clad— The  Creation,   Haydn,  Soprano,  orch.  ace.  Marie  Sundelius 

2893  Railroad  Jim,  Vincent,  Baritone,  orch.  ace.  Edward  Meeker 

2894  On  the  Hoko  Moko  Isle,   H.  Von  Tilzer  Arthur  Collins  and  Byron  G.  Harlan 

2895  Strike  Up  a  Song,  Morgan,  Baritone,  orch.  ace.  Charles  N.  Granville  and  Male  Chorus 

EILERS  TALKING  MACHINE  PHONOGRAPH    MUSIC    TO 

COMPANY  CHANGES  NAME  STIMULATE  EMPLOYEES 

The    Hopper-Kelly    Company    is   the   new    name  yVe  have  the  Manufacturers'  News  as  authority 

of  the  company  which  has  been  handling  the  Edi-       for  the   report  that  a   Cincinnati,   O.,   dry-cleaning 

son    Amberola    line    at    Seattle,    Wash.,    under    the       estabiishment)    which    employs    about    300    persons, 

name  of  the  Eilers  Talking  Machine  Company.     C.  .      ,     .  ,    ,    .    .  .f  .,    .      m   lnvooi>  ,    o„  _,„,,;„ 

&                             r     j  recently  decided  that  it  their  employees  near  music 

H.  Hopper  and  E.  P.  Kelly  have  been  conducting  .                                                           ... 

.      .                 .,i,/.                       •            ,  at  frequent   intervals  while  they   work  it  will   not 
the  business  under  the  old   firm   name  since  about 

...               .        ,                 ,  only  make  them   happier,   more  contented  workers, 

two  years  ago,  when  they  took  over  the  phonograph  J                               rr 

department  of  the  Eilers  Music  House.     Now  that  but  that  the^  wiI1  do  more  work  than  lf  the^  were 

they  have  opened   a  branch  at  Tacoma,  Wash.,  it  ^ho^    music-      So»    following    this    theory,    this 

has  been  deemed  advisable  to  change  the  company  enterprising  firm  has  installed  throughout  the  big 

name.      Mr.    Hopper    recently    returned    to    Seattle  establishment    enough    phonographs   to   keep   lively 

after  a  brief  sojourn  at  the  Edison  plant  at  Orange.  music  playing  almost  all  day  long. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  MAY,  1916 


IS 


ANTIQUE  PHONOGRAPH   COMES 
TO  LIGHT 

There  has  just  been  brought  to  light  at  Fair- 
field, la.,  a  rare  specimen  of  the  earliest  form  of 
phonograph,  the  tinfoil,  hand-cranked  type.  This 
device  was  purchased  from  Mr.  Edison's  company 
in  1878  by  the  late  Senator  J.  F.  Wilson  and  is  now 
in  possession  of  his  son  James  F.  Wilson,  Jr.  The 
bill  of  sale  is  also  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  Wilson 
and  shows  that  the  old  phonograph  is  No.  11  and 
was  at  that  time  called  the  "Edison  Speaking 
Phonograph." 


^  The  phonograph  provides  the  best  music  for 
home  dancing  and  the  Edison  is  the  best  phono- 
graph. 

fl  When  you  wrap  up  a  package  impress  your  cus- 
mers  service  they  will  go  out  of  their  way  to 
into  it. 

^  Paying  attention  to  your  customers  draws  paying 
attention  to  you. 

•I  If  you  go  out  of  your  way  to  give  your  custo- 
mers service  they  will  go  out  of  their  way  to 
secure  it. 


AMBEROLOIDS 

•I  There  are  good  times  ahead  for  those  who  leave 

their    old    ideas    behind. 

<|  Don't  sell   a   customer   what   he    doesn't  want — 

let  him  buy  what  he  does  want. 

<|  If  you  make  people  look  into  your  windows  you 

will  make  them  walk  in  at  your  doors. 

C|  Profits  won  by  shrewdness  will  be  doubled  by 
profits  won  by  friendliness. 


NEW  JOBBER  AT  LOS  ANGELES 

All  the  jobbing  business  heretofore  done  by  the 
Southern  California  Music  Co.,  Los  Angeles,  will 
be  handled  by  the  Diamond  Disc  Distributing  Co. 
of  that  city.  These  include  the  Edison  Diamond 
Amberola  and  Blue  Amberol  Records.  Orson  A. 
Lovejoy,  for  many  years  head  of  the  Southern 
California  Music  Company's  wholesale  department, 
will  be  in  charge  of  the  new  organization. 


Jobbers  of  Edison  Amberola  Phonographs 
and  Blue  Amberol  Records 


ALABAMA 
Birmingham — Talking  Machine  Co. 
Mobile — W.  H.  Reynalds. 

CALIFORNIA 

Los  Angeles — Southern  California  Music 

Co. 
San  Francisco — Pacific  Phonograph  Co. 

COLORADO 
Denver — Denver  Dry  Goods  Co. 
Hext  Music  Co. 

CONNECTICUT 
New  Haven — Pardee-Ellenberger  Co. 

GEORGIA 

Atlanta — Atlanta  Phonograph  Co. 

Phonographs,  Inc. 
Waycross — Youmans  Jewelry  Co. 

ILLINOIS 
Chicago — Babson  Bros. 

James  I.  Lyons. 

The  Phonograph  Co. 
Peoria — Peoria  Phonograph  Co. 
Quincy — Quincy  Phonograph  Co. 

INDIANA 

Indianapolis— Kipp  Phonograph  Co. 

IOWA 
Des  Moines — Harger  &  Blish 
Sioux  City— Harger  &  Blish. 

LOUISIANA 
New  Orleans — Diamond  Music  Co.,  Inc. 

MARYLAND 
Baltimore — E.  F.  Droop  &  Sons  Co. 


MASSACHUSETTS 
Boston — Iver-Johnson  Sporting  Goods  Co. 

Pardee-Ellenberger  Co. 
Lowell — -Thomas  Wardell. 


Drtroi: 


MICHIGAN 

-Phonograph  Co.  of  Detroit. 


MINNESOTA 

Minneapolis — Laurence  H.  Lucker. 
St.  Paul— W.  J.  Dyer  &  Bro. 

MISSOURI 

Kansas  City — The  Phonograph  Co. 
St.  Louis — Silverstone  Music  Co. 

MONTANA 
Helena — Montana  Phonograph  Co. 

NEBRASKA 
Omaha — Shultz  Bros. 

NEW  JERSEY 
Paterson — James  K.  O'Dea. 

NEW  YORK 

Albany — American  Phonograph  Co. 

Finch  &  Hahn. 
Buffalo — W.  D.  Andrews. 

Neal,  Clark  &  Neal  Co. 
Elmira — Elmira  Arms  Co. 
N.  Y.  City— I.  Davega,  Jr.,  Inc. 

J.  F.  Blackman  &  Son 
S.  B.  Davega  Co. 
Phonograph  Corp.  of 
Manhattan 
Rochester — Talking  Machine  Co. 
Syracuse — Frank  E.  Bolway  &  Son. 

W.  D.  Andrews  Co. 
Utica — Arthur  F.  Ferriss. 
William  Harrison. 


OHIO 
Cincinnati — The  Phonograph  Co. 
Cleveland — The  Phonograph  Co. 

OREGON 

Portland — Pacific   Phonograph   Co. 

PENNSYLVANIA 
Philadelphia — Girard  Phonograph  Co. 
Pittsburgh — Buehn  Phonograph  Co. 
Scranton — Ackerman  &  Co. 
Williamsport — W.  A.  Myers. 

RHODE  ISLAND 
Providence— J.  A.  Foster  Co. 

TEXAS 
Dallas — Texas-Oklahoma  Phonog.  Co. 
El  Paso — EI  Paso  Phonograph  Co.,  Inc. 

UTAH 
Ogden — Proudfit  Sporting  Goods  Co. 
Salt  Lake  City — Consolidated  Music  Co. 

VERMONT 
Burlington — American  Phonograph  Co. 

VIRGINIA 
Richmond — C.  B.  Haynes  &  Co. 

WASHINGTON 
Seattle — Pacific  Phonograph  Co.,  N.  W. 
Spokane — Pacific  Phonograph  Co.,  N.  W. 

WISCONSIN 

Milwaukee — The  Phonograph  Co. 

CANADA 
Calgary — R.    S.    Williams    &    Sons    Co., 

Ltd. 
Montreal — R.  S.  Williams  &  Sons  Co., 

Ltd. 
St.  John— W.  H.  Thorne  &  Co.,  Ltd. 
Toronto — R.  S.  Williams  &  Sons  Co.,  Ltd. 
Vancouver — Kent  Piano  Co.,  Ltd. 
Winnipeg — Babson  Bros. 

R.   S.  Williams  &  Sons  Co.,  Ltd. 


Suggestions  for  Amberola  Advertisements 

HERE  are  three  more  suggestions  for  newspaper  or  program  advertisements.  As 
they  are  merely  suggestions,  you  are  at  liberty  to  re-arrange  them  to  suit,  using 
different  cuts  if  desired.  If  you  want  to  use  the  ads  in  anything  printed  on  coated 
paper,  we  shall  be  glad  to  furnish  you  with  half-tone  cuts  of  the  illustrations  which  are 
almost  as  good  as  photographs.  Even  if  you  do  not  make  use  of  these  suggestions,  we 
hope  they  will   stir  up  some  ideas  of  your  own. 


WHERE    CAN    YOU    GET   SO    MUCH 
ENJOYMENT  FOR  SO  LITTLE  MONEY? 

Whatever  your  taste,  whatever  your  mood,  whatever 
your  guests  prefer,  the 

Edison     Diamond 
Amberola 

offers  something  to  suit.  The  most  classic  of  classical 
music,  the  most  hilarious  rag,  serious,  dramatic  recitations, 
or  side-splitting  humor  on  tap  whenever  you  want  it. 
An  inexhaustible  source  of  entertainment. 

Instruments,  $30,  $50,  $75.     Records,  50c,  75c,  $1 .00 

Come  hear  your  favorite  song.     No  obligation. 

(Dealer's  name  and  address) 


HAVE  YOU  HEARD 

(Name    of    selection    taken    from    latest 
supplement) 

Sung  by 

(Singer's  name  here) 

This  is  one  of  (number  of  selections 
in  supplement)  the  brand  new  Blue 
Amberol  records  just  received  from 
the  Edison  Lab- 
oratories. 

Something  to  suit 
every  taste,  yours 
included.  Come  hear 
them. 

(Dealer's  name 
Electro  No.  425  and  address) 


Your  Favorite  Song 

Come  to  our  store  and  hear  it  on  the 
wonderful  musical  instrument  that  bears 
the  stamp  of  Thomas  A.  Edison's  genius. 
The 


EDISON 

Diamond 
Amberola 


Electro  No.  381 


Brightens  dull  hours,  cheers  with  song  and  story, 
brings  sunshine  into  the  home. 

You  are  welcome  at  any  time.    Bring  a  friend. 
(Dealer's  Name  and  Address) 


W*  EDISON 
PHONOGRAPH 

MONTHLY 


VOL.    XIV 


JUNE,  1916 


NO.  6 


CRITERION  QUARTET 

{See  Page  ii) 


INCREASED  AMBEROLA  BUSINESS  MAKES 
NEW  DEPARTMENT  NECESSARY 

DO  you  know  why  some  Amberola  dealers  don't  do  business ?  Simply 
because  they  don't  do  it,  that's  all.  Doing  business  is  not  letting 
things  drift  along  like  the  "dealer"  told  about  on  another  page,  who 
let  grass  grow  under  his  feet  just  because  people  didn't  flock  to  his  store  and 
outbid  each  other  to  get  possession  of  his  stock.  He  didn't  even  have 
ambition  enough  to  go  out  and  bring  the  business  in,  just  like  any  normal, 
successful  business  man  in  any  other  line  has  to  do. 

If  you  had  the  view  of  the  Amberola  situation  that  we  have,  with 
every  corner  of  the  country  under  your  eye,  it  would  startle  you  to  see  the 
way  the  Amberola  is  going  forward.  While  predictions  are  sometimes 
dangerous,  we  feel  confident  enough  to  say  that  1916  is  going  to  be  one  of 
the  best  years  the  Amberola  and  Blue  Amberol  records  have  ever  enjoyed. 

If  that  sounds  like  an  idle  assertion  and  arouses  your  skepticism  just 
pore  over  the  fact  that  it  has  now  become  necessary  to  create  a  new 
department  to  handle  the  increased  demand  for  Amberolas  and  Blue 
Amberol  records. 

This  department  will  be  known  as  the  Amberola  Department.  In  this 
department  all  efforts  will  be  concentrated  on  the  Amberola  line.  Every- 
one connected  with  it  has  strict  orders  to  forget  there  ever  was  any  other 
phonograph  than  the  Amberola.  K.  R.  Moses,  formerly  special  demonstra- 
tion representative  from  the  Edison  Laboratories,  is  in  charge  as  sales 
manager. 

As  a  result  of  several  weeks  intensive  work  on  the  part  of  the  new 
department,  new  methods  of  marketing  and  new  suggestions  for  pushing 
the  Amberola  line  will  shortly  be  announced,  perhaps  in  the  next  issue  of 
the  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY. 

In  the  meanwhile,  if  you  have  any  constructive  suggestions  regarding 
the  Amberola  line,  the  Amberola  Department  will  be  glad  to  give  them 
every  consideration. 

The  Amberola  Department  has  no  door.  The  "Welcome"  sign  is 
always  out.      Come  in;    don't  even  stop  to  wipe  your  feet. 


The  Edison 
Phonograph  Monthly 


Volume  XIV 


JUNE,  1916 


Number  6 


Value  of  Good  Will 


By  E.  Kron 

EDISON  dealers,  among  whom  I  am  proud  to 
be  included,  should  never  forget  that  our  cus- 
tomers are  our  greatest  asset  and  that  the  future 
of  our  business  lies  largely  in  the  hands  of  those 
to  whom  we  have  sold  instruments  or  are  sell- 
ing records. 

Inasmuch  as  we  are  the  representatives  of  a  con- 
cern that  gives  more  attention  to  the  quality  of 
the  products  that  it  manufactures  than  the  quan- 
tity, there  are  only  rare  instances  in  which  a  cus- 
tomer finds  any  reason  for  complaint.  There  are 
times,  however,  when  the  careless  handling  of  an 
instrument  may  cause  the  motor  or  some  other  of 
its  functioning  parts  to  refuse  to  operate  properly. 
In  such  cases  the  owner  of  the  instrument  seldom 
places  the  blame  where  it  belongs  and  is  inclined 
to  censure  the  dealer  or  the  manufacturer  for  the 
faulty  operation  of  the  instrument.  I  believe  that 
in  such  cases  the  expenditure  of  time,  and  even 
money,  to  keep  a  customer  satisfied  is  an  excellent 
investment  for  any  dealer. 

While  it  may  appear  troublesome  and  expen- 
sive to  spend  time  in  caring  for  an  instrument 
after  it  has  been  sold  and  after  the  money  for  it 
has  been  received,  this  service  is  one  of  the  best 
ways  to  hold  old  business  and  develop  new  busi- 
ness and,  because  of  the  invigorating  effect  that  it 
has  had  on  the  Amberol  business  in  my  territory, 
I  have  made  a  specialty  of  it  for  a  long  time  past. 
In  giving  your  customers  complete  service  it  is 
necessary  to  be  methodical  and  thorough.  I  keep 
a  list  of  all  persons  to  whom  I  have  sold  instru- 
ments or  records  and  each  month  I  visit  each  one 
of  them  and  see  that  each  instrument  is  in  perfect 
running  order.  If  I  find  any  that  are  not  operat- 
ing properly,  I  time  them  and  make  any  other 
mechanical  adjustments  that  are  necessary.  I  even 
make  an  effort  to  remove  any  scratches  that  I  find 
on  cabinets,  thus  impressing  those  to  whom  I  have 
sold  instruments  that  I  take  an  interest  in  them 
that  extends  beyond  the  profits  that  I  made  on 
the  instruments  when  I  sold  them. 

I  emphasize  my  attitude  in  this  respect  by  giving 
other  service  in  addition  to  the  monthly  calls.  My 
customers    all    have    been    requested    repeatedly    to 


e}  Bryan,  O. 

call  me  up  at  any  time  there  seems  to  be  something 
wrong  with  an  instrument.  When  I  get  such  a 
call  I  go  immediately  to  the  home  of  the  owner 
who  desires  my  services  and  repair  the  instrument 
if  possible  or  replace  it  with  a  perfect  one  while 
it  is  being  taken  to  my  shop  for  adjustment.  One 
illustration  of  how  beneficial  such  individual  ser- 
vice may  be  may  impress  upon  you  the  importance 
of  it.  A  young  lady  called  me  up  one  evening  a 
short  time  ago  and  asked  me  to  come  to  her  home 
as  quick  as  possible.  When  I  got  there  I  found 
that  she  had  invited  a  number  of  her  friends  to 
a  party  that  she  was  giving  for  the  purpose  of 
entertaining  her  friends  with  an  instrument  that  I 
had  sold  her.  Early  in  the  evening  a  clicking 
developed  in  the  propelling  mechanism  of  the 
phonograph  and  it  was  because  of  this  that  I  was 
called  in.  Although  I  am  very  familiar  with  the 
construction  of  the  Amberola,  I  was  unable  to 
locate  the  trouble  in  the  instrument  with  the  inade- 
quate tools  that  I  had  brought  with  me.  So  I 
called  up  a  liveryman  and  had  him  go  to  my  store 
and  bring  a  new  instrument  to  the  home  of  the 
young  lady  and  return  the  other  one  to  my  store, 
where  I  knew  I  would  have  no  trouble  in  adjust- 
ing it. 

The  satisfaction  of  the  young  lady  at  the  service 
I  gave  her  was  so  great  that  she  not  only  over- 
looked all  the  trouble  that  the  instrument  gave  her, 
but  became  one  of  my  best  boosters.  And  all  of 
those  who  were  at  the  party  always  have  a  good 
word  for  my  store  and  my  business  methods.  In 
this  one  instance  I  won  the  good  will  of  many 
people  and  I  know  that  this  indirectly  has  made 
me  many  sales  of  instruments  and  records.  I  could 
enumerate  many  other  similar  instances  in  which 
I  have  spent  time  and  money  in  keeping  customers 
satisfied,  and  I  do  not  know  of  one  that  has  not 
been  a  profitable  investment  for  me.  After  a 
number  of  years  of  experience  in  giving  my  cus- 
tomers service  at  any  cost,  I  can  state  emphatically 
that  the  policy  I  am  following,  although  it  may 
seem  troublesome  and  costly  at  first,  eventually 
will  increase  greatly  your  business  and  profits. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  JUNE,  1916 


TWENTY-EIGHT  NEW  DEALERS 
THIS  MONTH 

IN  the  last  month  twenty-eight  dealers  have 
signed  the  agreement  under  which  they  are 
licensed  to  sell  the  Edison  Diamond  Amberola 
and  Edison  Blue  Amberol  records.  Of  this  num- 
ber, twelve  will  handle  the  Amberola  line  ex- 
clusively, and  six  who  have  been  handling  only 
the  Diamond  Disc  line  will  take  on  the  cylinder 
line.  The  remaining  ten  dealers  have  taken  both 
the  disc  and  cylinder  lines.  The  new  cylinder 
dealers  in  the  three  classes  are: 

AMBEROLA  ONLY 

W.  W.  Miller,  Consecon,  Ont.,  Canada. 

Lovins  House  Furnishing  Co.,  Mahnomen,  Minn. 

Whitney  &  DeMoney,  Columbia  City,  Ind. 

R.  E.  Behm,  Pittsburg,  Pa. 

Malloy  Drug  Co.,  Van  Hook,  N.  D. 

Stein  Jewelry  and  Music  Co.,  Geneseo,  111. 

J.  R.  Crain,  Florence,  Kas. 

J.  D.  Bruns,  Richland,  la. 

Leach  Lake  Trading  Post,  Walker,  Minn. 

Red  River  Lumber  Co.,  Westwood,  Cal. 

Aiken  Furniture  Co.,  Aiken,  South  Carolina. 

Nelson  J.  Renaud,  Vergennes,  Vermont. 

AMBEROLA  AND  DISC 

G.  G.  Fineman,  Tarboro,  North  Carolina. 

Johnstown  Phonograph   Co.,   Johnstown,   Pa. 

C.  B.  Beaulieu,  Newberry,  Mich. 

M.  F.  Hobart,  Gilman,  111. 

A.  D.  Smith,  Fredericksburg,  la. 

Red  Cross  Pharmacy,  Kalispell,  Mont. 

Mitchell-Neighbors  Music  Co.,  Mountain  Grove, 
Missouri. 

Charles  A.  Harrington,  Zearing,  la. 

Diamond  Disc  Co.,  Lawrence,  Kansas. 

Benton  County  Hardware  Co.,  Siloam  Springs, 
Arkansas. 

PREVIOUS    DISC    DEALERS   TAKING    ON 
AMBEROLA 

M.  M.  Bovard  &  Son,  Manayunk,  Pa. 
Harmon   Drug   Store,  Kiowa,   Kas. 
Colwell  Drug  Co.,  Pawnee,  Nebraska. 
Loveman,  Joseph  &  Loeb,  Birmingham,  Ala. 
Demain  Pharmacy,  Kinsley,  Kas. 
Mosiman  Brothers,  Millbank,  S.  D. 


NEW  ELECTROTYPE  CATALOG 

In  the  latest  issue  of  our  catalog  of  advertising 
cuts,  just  out,  there  is  some  excellent  material  to 
assist  dealers  in  advertising  the  Edison  Diamond 
Amberola.  This  new  catalog  shows  over  150  sub- 
jects to  choose  from,  something  for  every  Edison 
newspaper  ad.,  and  also  for  programs  and  leaflets. 
Shipments  of  this  new  electrotype  catalog  are  being 
made  to  all  jobbers.  Get  yours  either  from  the 
jobber  or  from  us  and  begin  using  some  of  these 
sales  stimulants  right  away.  Read  the  conditions 
under  which  electros  are  distributed  to  dealers  and 
act  accordingly.  We  always  want  to  know  what 
dealers  are  doing  local  advertising  and  to  get 
clippings  of  their  advertisements. 


THIS  DEALER  DOES  WHAT  ANY 
DEALER  CAN  DO 

EVERY  once  in  a  while  a  dealer  pops  up  with 
a  sales  record  that  makes  us  wonder  how  he 
did  it.  He  may  be  a  big  dealer  who  has  a 
metropolitan  territory,  and  the  record  that  he  has 
established  may  have  resulted  from  the  sale  of 
many  thousands  of  dollars  worth  of  instruments, 
or  he  may  be  a  small  dealer,  off  in  some  thinly 
settled  territory,  who  has  sold  only  a  few  hundred 
dollars  worth  of  goods,  but  who,  under  the  condi- 
tions, has  accomplished  something  out  of  the 
ordinary. 

E.  T.  Hardman,  of  Oak  River,  Man.,  Canada, 
is  one  of  our  smaller  dealers  who  has  made  an 
enviable  record  since  he  became  a  dealer  on  Feb- 
ruary 1st,  1916.  Between  that  date  and  March  15 
(six  weeks)  he  disposed  of  five  Diamond  Amber- 
olas  in  a  town  with  a  population  of  two  hundred 
and  fifty.  And  a  limited  population  was  not  the 
only  obstacle  that  Mr.  Hardman  was  up  against. 
During  the  greater  part  of  this  six  weeks  the 
weather  was  exceedingly  cold  and  the  thermometer 
frequently  touched  forty  below.  Mr.  Hardman  has 
a  competitor  who  is  handling  a  talking  machine 
and  who  has  been  located  in  that  territory  for  a 
number  of  years.  This  competitor,  according  to 
Mr.  Hardman,  is  somewhat  peeved  at  the  way  in 
which  the  Diamond  Amberola  is  cutting  into  his 
business. 

Mr.  Hardman  is  alive  to  the  possibilities  of  rural 
canvassing  and  he  intends  to  travel  among  the 
farmers  in  his  territory  and  give  them  home 
demonstrations  with  the  Amberola  just  as  soon  as 
the  weather  permits. 


NEW  BLUE  AMBEROL  RECORD 
CATALOG 

Besides  the  listing  of  many  new  records,  artists 
of  world-wide  fame  make  their  debut  in  the  Edison 
Blue  Amberol  catalog  with  the  new  issue  now 
being  shipped  to  jobbers.  Among  these  are  Julia 
Heinrich,  soprano,  the  sensation  of  the  season  at 
the  Metropolitan  Opera  House;  Otto  Goritz,  the 
noted  baritone  of  the  Metropolitan  Opera  Com- 
pany; Herman  Sandby,  the  famous  Scandinavian 
'cellist;  Orphee  Langevin,  the  Canadian  operatic 
and  concert  baritone.  Besides  these  there  are  sev- 
eral not  as  yet  quite  so  famous,  but  who  are  fully 
up  to  the  Edison  standard,  and  you  know  what 
that  means. 

The  new  Blue  Amberol  Record  catalog  includes 
all  records  issued  up  to  and  including  the  April, 
1916,  supplement.  In  our  opinion  we  have  never 
before  added  so  many  interesting  numbers.  Your 
jobber  will  be  glad  to  send  you  copies,  or  you  can 
secure  a  copy  from  us  direct. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  JUNE,  1916 


The  Dealer  Who  Couldn't  Understand 


By  K.  R.  Moses,  Sales  Mana 

AS  I  got  off  the  train,  the  well-kept  appearance 
of  the  town  impressed  me.  It  seemed  mod- 
ern, up-to-date,  active  and  alive.  There  was  no 
competitor  in  town  to  amount  to  anything  and  as  a 
consequence  the  Amberola  Dealer  had  a  clear  field. 
Finally  I  found  his  store.  It  was  excellently 
located,  but  you  should  have  seen  the  appearance 
of  it.  It  was  forty  per  cent,  below  the  general  ap- 
pearance of  the  town.  After  we  had  passed  the 
necessary  introductory  remarks,  we  sat  down  to 
talk  Amberola   and  talk  hard. 

How  are  general  conditions  in  this  town?  Fine; 
business  is  great.  Plenty  of  money?  Yes,  lots  of 
it.  People  were  buying  phonographs?  Yes,  he 
thought  possibly  they  were.  Was  he  sure?  No, 
he  wasn't  positive.  Had  he  made  any  attempt  to 
find  out?  No,  he  hadn't.  Were  people  coming  into 
his  store  unsolicited  and  unadvertised?  No,  they 
weren't.  They  used  to,  didn't  they,  when  the 
phonograph  was  only  a  novelty?  Yes,  lots  come 
in  then.  Since  the  Edison  phonograph  has  become 
a  standardized  musical  instrument  instead  of  a 
novelty,  they  didn't  come  in  as  easily  as  they  did 
then,  did  they?  No,  he  didn't  believe  they  did. 
Did  he  know  the  reason  for  that?  No,  he  hadn't 
thought  much  about  it.  Did  he  know  of  any  suc- 
cessful store  in  his  town?  Yes,  there  was  Smith's 
piano  store.  Why  were  they  a  success?  Well,  he 
thought  maybe  advertising  and  a  lot  of  canvass- 
ers helped.     Wasn't  the   real    reason   because   they 


ger  of  Amberola  Department 

were  alive  and  let  people  know  what  they  had  to 
sell  and  where  and  how?  Well,  he  hadn't  looked 
at  it  in  just  that  light,  but  he  guessed  I  was  right. 
Was  there  any  reason  why  he  couldn't  do  the 
same?  Why,  none  whatever.  Why  hadn't  he? 
Why,  he  had  never  thought  about  it.  And  there 
you  are! 

Here  was  a  man  sitting  over  a  veritable  gold 
mine  with  a  pick  and  shovel  handy  and  yet  he 
hadn't  started  digging.  Remember,  the  phono- 
graph has  ceased  to  be  a  novelty  and  has  become 
a  standardized  article  of  merchandise  and  has  to 
be  marketed  as  such.  When  the  automobile  came 
out,  people  would  flock  to  see  one  go  by.  How 
many  do  you  think  would  do  that  to-day?  They 
still  are  curious  about  aeroplanes,  but  do  you  think 
they  will  be  ten  years  from  now? 

To  get  the  maximum  results  from  your  store  to- 
day you  have  got  to  plug  and  plug  hard.  There 
are  so  many  numerous  ways  of  doing  so,  that  in 
the  small  space  we  have,  we  cannot  cover  them 
all.  But  if  you  cannot  understand  why  the  public 
doesn't  come  to  your  store  unsolicited  like  they 
used  to,  remember  the  reason  is  that  the  novelty  of 
the  phonograph  is  gone  and  in  place  of  this  mush- 
room curiosity  has  come  a  steady  demand  for  a  real 
musical  instrument.  But  you  have  got  to  go  out 
and  get  your  business  or  else  your  competitor  will 
steal  it  away  by  more  active  methods.  When  do 
you  start? 


DOES  BUSINESS  IN  NORWAY 

While  many  dealers  have  adopted  the  profitable 
policy  of  sending  shipments  of  records  on  approval 
to  customers  who  cannot  easily  be  reached  in  any 
other  way,  we  do  not  believe  that  a  great  num- 
ber of  those  who  handle  the  Amberola  line  are 
sending  records  on  approval  to  f.  reign  countries. 
Laurence  H.  Lucker,  of  the  Minnesota  Phonograph 
Company,  Minneapolis,  recently  made  an  approval 
shipment  of  two  dozen  records  to  Norway,  and,  of 
this  lot,  only  four  records  were  returned.  This 
assortment  went  to  a  man  who  formerly  lived  in 
Minnesota  but  who  returned  to  Norway  to  live, 
taking  his  phonograph  with  him.  When  he  was 
located  in  this  country  he  lived  some  distance  from 
Minneapolis  and  had  been  obliged  to  purchase 
records  from  approval  assortments  that  were  sent 
to  him  at  frequent  intervals.  So,  when  he  was 
about  to  leave  for  Norway  he  requested  Mr. 
Lucker  to  ship  him  an  occasional  assortment  on 
approval.      The    greater    part    of    each    assortment 


sent  is  retained.     Dealer  Lucker  also  ships  records 
on  approval  to  California  and  Cuba. 


NEW  DEALERS'  ASSOCIATION 

At  a  dinner  which  the  Girard  Phonograph  Com- 
pany, Edison  jobbers  at  Philadelphia,  gave  to  their 
dealers,  the  matter  of  an  organization  of  Edison 
dealers  came  up  and  a  committee  to  draft  a  consti- 
tution, by-laws,  etc.,  was  appointed.  This  com- 
mittee consisted  of  Messrs.  von  Bernuth,  of  Stetson 
&  Co.;  Blake,  of  Blake  &  Burkart;  Murdock,  of  the 
Ludwig  Piano  Co.;  Carter  Ramsdell,  of  Ramsdell 
&  Son,  and  Homer  Davis,  of  George  B.  Davis  &  Co. 


GLOWING  REPORTS  FROM  MIDDLE 
WEST 

Mark  Silverstone,  of  the  Silverstone  Music  Co., 
Edison  jobbers  at  St.  Louis,  who  recently  paid  a 
visit  to  the  Edison  factories  at  Orange,  brought 
with  him  glowing  reports  of  the  business  now  being 
done  in  the  St.  Louis  territory  and  made  most 
gratifying  predictions  regarding  future  prospects 
in  his  section  of  the  country. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  JUNE,  1916 


GETTING   AMBEROLAS    BEFORE 

THE  MOTION  PICTURE 

AUDIENCES 

ARE  there  any  motion  picture  theatres  in  your 
territory  that  do  not  have  music  or  in  which 
the  musical  program  would  be  improved  by  the 
introduction  of  a  few  Amberola  selections? 

We  cannot  imagine  any  territory  in  which  there 
would  not  be  one  or  more  motion  picture  houses  of 
this  kind  and  we  believe  that  they  may  be  used  as 
mediums  for  securing  a  considerable  amount  of 
very  valuable  advertising  practically  free.  Before 
outlining  any  plan  by  which  you  may  secure  the 
benefits  of  this  advertising  the  fact  must  be  em- 
phasized that  the  theatres  to  which  this  character 
of  musical  entertainment  is  suitable  are  not  neces- 
sarily those  of  the  poorer  class.  It  makes  no  dif- 
ference how  large  an  orchestra  or  how  fine  an 
organ  a  picture  house  may  have,  the  introduction 
of  a  few  carefully  chosen  Amberola  selections  of  a 
class  appropriate  to  the  appointments  of  the  theatre 
and  the  class  of  pictures  there  shown  is  certain  to 
effect  a  decided  improvement  in  the  musical  pro- 
gram 

Theatrical  managers  are  constantly  endeavoring 
to  reduce  the  expenses  attendant  upon  the  operation 
of  their  houses  and  we  believe  that  many  of  them 
would  be  glad  to  make  an  arrangement  by  which 
they  might  secure  the  use  of  a  machine  in  return 
for  screen  advertising.  Without  doubt  this  arrange- 
ment has  been  made  in  some  cases  but  we  do  not 
know  that  any  widespread  or  concerted  effort  has 
even  been  made  to  secure  the  immensely  valuable 
advertising  that  might  be  obtained  in  this  way.  If 
such  an  arrangement  can  be  made  between  a 
dealer  and  a  theatrical  manager  it  should  be  with 
the  understanding  that  Edison  ads  be  flashed  on 
the  screen  either  before  or  after  each  selection  or 
both  if  possible.  If  a  printed  program  is  used  by 
the^  theatre  the  Edison  Diamond  Amberola  should 
have  a  credit  line  in  this  and  if  the  house  is  one 
that  is  using  newspaper  advertising  under  a  con- 
tract that  gives  it  the  use  of  readers  it  should  not  be 
difficult  to  secure  an  occasional  line  in  them  in  ref- 
erence to  the  Amberola. 

Through  such  an  arrangement  the  dealer  secures 
many  possibilities  for  wide  and  forceful  publicity 
for  the  mere  accommodation  of  allowing  a  theatre 
to  have  the  temporary  use  of  a  phonograph  and 
supplying  a  few  different  records  each  week. 


B.  M.  Joy,  Amberola  dealer  at  Fort  Dodge,  la., 
has  remodeled  his  store  to  provide  a  dancing  floor. 
He  also  has  rented  a  room  in  an  adjoining  building 
to    be    used    as    a    piano    sales    and    demonstration 


BURIED  TREASURE  THAT  IS  WAIT- 
ING TO  BE  UNCOVERED 

SINCE  the  dawn  of  history  men  have  been  fas- 
cinated by  stories  of  buried  treasure  and  have 
been  lured  into  various  adventures  by  their  en- 
deavors to  uncover  the  hoards  that  are  known  to 
have  been  gathered  together  but  that  have  found 
unknown  or  inaccessible  resting  places. 

How  few  people  ever  stop  to  consider  that  in  the 
modern  business  world  there  are  buried  treasures 
just  as  romantic  and  wonderful  as  ever  have  been 
lost  in  mines  or  ships. 

One  striking  example  of  buried  business  treasure 
lies  in  the  old-style  two-minute  Edison  phonographs 
that  are  scattered  broadcast  through  the  United 
States  and  many  other  countries.  Approximately 
2,000,000  of  these  machines  were  placed  in  homes 
where  they  gave  splendid  satisfaction  in  the  early 
days  of  the  phonograph.  Evolution,  however,  re- 
sulted in  the  abandonment  of  the  wax  record  and 
brought  about  the  making  of  the  Blue  Amberol,  one 
that  plays  more  than  twice  as  long  as  the  old  wax 
record.  In  justice  to  the  owners  of  the  old-style 
machines  Thomas  A.  Edison,  Inc.,  when  it  ceased 
the  manufacture  of  wax  records,  arranged  an 
attachment  which  makes  possible  the  playing  of 
the  Blue  Amberol  records  on  the  old  type  of  ma- 
chine. Several  hundred  thousand  of  these  attach- 
ments have  been  disposed  of  and  as  many  own- 
ers of  the  old-style  Edison  instrument  are  enjoy- 
ing their  phonographs,  as  they  are  able  to  play 
all  the  new  Amberol  records  on  them  as  well  as 
all  of  their  old  records.  Because  they  have  pur- 
chased the  attachment,  these  several  hundred  thou- 
sand machine  owners  have  remained  active  pur- 
chasers of  records  and  the  sales  to  them  of  new 
Amberols  result  in  a  vast  annual  aggregate  profit 
to  the  dealers  who  handle  the  Amberola  line. 

But  there  are  still  more  than  a  million  Edison 
old-style  machines  in  existence  that  have  not  been 
equipped  with  the  Amberol  attachment  and  these 
form  one  of  the  buried  treasures  of  the  phono- 
graph business  world.  The  owners  of  these  ma- 
chines cannot  play  the  records  that  are  being  made 
to-day  and,  if  they  use  their  instruments  at  all, 
they  are  compelled  to  play  and  replay  the  records 
that  will  fit  their  old  machine — records  that  are 
necessarily  much  out  of  date.  If  you  can  bring  the 
Amberol  attachment  to  the  attention  of  Amberola 
owners  in  a  manner  that  will  impress  them,  there 
is  no  doubt  as  to  the  sales  that  will  follow.  And 
the  sales  of  attachments  will  be  followed  by  large 
sales  of  records. 


C.  D.  Grubbs,  a  phonograph  expert  of  wide 
experience  and  high  qualifications,  has  been  added 
to  the  staff  of  the  Houston  Music  Company,  of 
Houston,   Texas. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  JUNE,  1916 


Indorsements  of  "Every  Record  Every  Month"  Policy 

Many  Blue  Amberol  dealers  have  learned  by  experience  that  it  is  profitable  to  place  a  standing 
order  for  the  new  list  of  records  each  month  Re:ently  we  sent  out  a  few  letters,  asking  some  of  the 
dealers  who  make  a  practice  of  securing  at  least  one  of  each  new  Blue  Amberol  record,  what  effect 
the  policy  has  on  their  record  business.  The  replies  indicate  that  carrying  a  complete  stock  of  records 
stimulates  business,  attracts  customers,  and  is  beneficial  to  business  in  every  way.  The  four  letters 
printed  below  will  give  a  general  idea  of  the  tenor  of  the  replies  received. 


We  find  that  ordering  a  complete  stock  of  records 
monthly  stimulates  sales  and  keeps  the  interest  in 
the  Amberola  more  active.  We  think,  however, 
that  mailing  the  supplements  has  a  great  deal  to  do 
with  keeping  trade  stimulated.  We  find  a  great 
many  of  the  new  records  are  slow  sellers,  but  after 
the  public  has  become  familiar  with  them  through 
sheet  music  or  other  sources,  they  sell  more  readily. 
— Second  Street  Pharmacy,   Cripple   Creek,   Colo. 

By  securing  a  complete  line  of  Blue  Amberol 
records  monthly,  the  interest  of  customers  is  in- 
cited and  sales  are  stimulated.  A  complete  line  of 
records  not  only  affords  a  chance  to  be  accommo- 
lating  to  your  customers,  but  insures  their  patron- 
age in  the  future.  The  loss  that  results  from  rec- 
ords that  do  not  sell  readily  is  comparatively  small 
in  proportion  to  the  profits  that  are  made  by  carry- 
ing the  complete  line. — Albert  H.  Yndkin,  Derby, 
Conn. 

We  find  that  keeping  a  complete  stock  of  Blue 
Amberol   records   and   ordering  the   new   list   every 


month  keeps  the  interest  of  instrument  owners  ac- 
tive and  stimulates  record  sales.  The  higher  class 
of  records  that  do  not  sell  as  readily  as  some  of 
the  more  popular  numbers  have  their  value  in 
educating  our  customers  along  musical  lines.  Our 
loss  through  records  that  do  not  sell  is  compara- 
tively small  compared  to  the  profits  that  are  gained 
through  having  any  record  that  a  customer  may  ask 
for.  We  have  recently  gone  to  an  expense  of 
about  one  thousand  dollars  in  adding  three  parlors 
or  demonstrating  rooms  to  our  phonograph  depart- 
ment, an  indication  that  our  sales  policies  pay. — 
Will  F.  Cheshire,  Rock  ford,  III. 

I  regard  keeping  the  entire  monthly  list  of  rec- 
ords as  the  best  ad  a  dealer  can  have  because 
there  is  satisfaction  to  customers  in  feeling  confi- 
dent that  they  can  come  to  a  store  and  obtain  any 
record  desired.  Also  I  have  noticed  that  many 
times  the  records  that  we  do  not  care  for  at  first 
may  prove  the  best  sellers  in  the  end. — J.  F.  Kerby, 
Dexter,  Maine. 


Have  you  ever  wondered  how  the  immense  stock  of  Blue  Amberol  records  which  we  must  always 
have  on  hand  at  Orange  is  kept?  The  above  illustration  shows  one  corner  of  the  Blue  Amberol 
stock  room,  where  there  are  stored  an  average  of  approximately  400,000  records  at  all  times.  Note 
how  systematically  the  records  are  kept  in  their  stsel  bins.  It  is  just  as  important  that  the  dealer 
with  the  smallest  stock  should  keep  it  arranged  systematically,  for  then  he  always  knows  "where 
he  is  at." 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  JUNE,  1916 


Edison   Phonograph   Monthly 


Published  in  the  interest  of 

EDISON  AMBEROLA  PHONOGRAPHS 

AND 

BLUE  AMBEROL  RECORDS 

By  Thomas  A.  Edison,  Inc. 

ORANGE,  N.  J.,  U.  S.  A. 

Foreign  Offices: 

164  WARDOUR  ST.,  LONDON.  W.  ENGLAND 

364-372  KENT  STREET,  SYDNEY,  N.  S.  W. 

3  YORKSTRASSE,   BERLIN 
59  RUE  DES  PETITES-ECURIES,  PARIS 


How  is  it  that  some 
Encouragement  Amberola  dealers  report 
that  business  is  humming, 
sales  are  plentiful  and  profits  large,  while  others 
are  complaining  that  it  is  difficult  to  sell  the 
cylinder  line  in  competition  with  the  many  makes 
of  disc  machines  now  on  the  market? 

How  is  it  that  with  many  dealers  the  spring 
months  have  seen  a  decided  increase  in  the  demand 
for  Amberolas  and  Blue  Amberol  records,  when,  as 
some  dealers  seem  to  think,  the  bottom  has  fallen 
out  of  their  business? 

Why  is  it  that  many  dealers  are  chuckling  over 
present  and  prospective  profits  while  others  are 
mourning  over  the  passing  of  the  days  when  the 
cylinder  line  sold  itself? 

It  is  human  nature,  that's  all.  The  answer  lies 
in  the  difference  between  the  successful  merchant 
and  the  unsuccessful  one.  Dealers  who  are  not 
doing  an  active  business  should  analyze  themselves 
and  their  business  methods  rather  than  criticize  the 
line  they  are  handling.  If  one  dealer  can  make 
sales  there  is  no  reason  why  every  dealer  cannot. 
And  they  should  find  inspiration  in  the  fact  that 
not  only  one  dealer,  but  thousands  of  them,  are 
finding  the  Diamond  Amberola  line  both  lively  and 
profitable. 

This  periodical  is  being 
Criticism  published  in  your  interest, 

Mr.  Dealer,  and  we  want 
to  do  everything  possible  to  make  it  interesting  and 
profitable  to  you.  Nothing  is  more  constructive  than 
critcism  when  accepted  in  the  right  spirit  and 
profited  by,  and  for  that  reason  we  welcome,  and 
will  continue  to  welcome,  any  criticism  that  dealers 
have  to  make  in  regard  to  the  Phonograph 
Monthly.  It  is  our  ambition  to  make  this  paper 
of,  by,  and  for  Edison  cylinder  dealers — a  paper 
that  we  all  take  an  interest  in  and  that  we  can  all 
be  proud  of.  To  do  this  we  will  be  very  glad  to 
receive  suggestions  from  those  who  read  this  paper. 
Is  there  anything  that  you  would  like  omitted 
from  the  Phonograph  Monthly?     Can  you  think 


of  anything  that  would  make  the  periodical  more 
interesting?  Do  you  read  articles  in  it  with  which 
you  do  not  agree  and  do  you  find  therein  advice 
that  you  do  not  consider  practical?  Or,  on  the 
contrary,  have  you  had  any  experiences  which  have 
proved  to  you  that  the  sales  and  advertising  sug- 
gestions made  in  the  Phonograph  Monthly  are 
practical  and  valuable?  Give  us  some  information 
along  this  line  and  then  give  us  your  ideas  as  to 
how  you  would  make  this  periodical  more  inter- 
esting or  more  valuable  if  you  were  editing  it. 

We  wish  to  call  atten- 
Sales  Insurance  tion  to  the  fact  that  prac- 
tically every  Blue  Am- 
berol attachment  sold  means  the  ultimate  sale 
of  a  new  cylinder  instrument.  It  will  be  profi- 
table to  bear  this  in  mind,  especially  with  the 
approach  of  summer,  when  a  little  advertising 
will  induce  many  owners  of  old-style  Edisons 
to  have  their  old  instruments  fitted  up  with  th 
equipment  that  will  make  them  available  for  vaca- 
tion use.  If  you  revive  their  interest  in  the  phono- 
graph by  equipping  their  instruments  with  Blue 
Amberol  attachments  and  then  supply  them  with 
good  stocks  of  records,  they  are  going  to  buy  a 
Diamond  Amberola  when  they  decide  to  secure  a 
new  phonograph.  And,  when  they  want  a  new 
cylinder  instrument  they  will  have  to  buy  it  of  you 
because  you  have  no  competition  in  this  line.  Get 
alive  to  the  logic  of  this  Blue  Amberol  attachment 
question  and  you  will  see  the  wisdom  of  pushing 
the  sale. 


WANTED— CONTRIBUTIONS ! 

We  desire  articles  relating  to  the  merchan- 
dising of  the  Diamond  Amberola  line — articles 
written  by  our  dealers  or  by  their  sales  or 
merchandise  manager,  or  others  who  are  con 
nected  with  the  retailing  of  the  Edison  cylin- 
der line.  What  we  want  particularly  is  the 
news  of  YOUR  store  and  the  things  that  de- 
velop in  YOUR  place  of  business.  We  want 
YOUR  idea  as  to  the  best  methods  of  stimulat- 
ing sales  and  the  most  effective  and  cheapest 
way  to  demonstrate  or  otherwise  advertise  the 
Diamond  Amberola  and  Blue  Amberol  records. 
Credit  will  be  given  those  who  prepare  articles 
for  the  Edison  Phonograph  Monthly  and  pic- 
tures of  windows,  interiors,  etc.,  featuring  the 
Amberola  will  be  used  as  far  as  possible. 

Address 

EDITOR,  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY 

Care  of 

THOMAS   A.  EDISON,  INC.,   ORANGE,  N.  J. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  JUNE,  1916 


Doings  of  Edison  Artists 


THERE  are  few  festivals  of  note  in  which  some 
of  the  artists  making  Edison  Blue  Amberol 
records  are  not  listed  among  the  soloists.  Edison 
artists  recently  have  taken  part  in  three  music 
festivals,  held  in  Newark,  N.  J.,  Ithaca,  N.  Y., 
and  Paterson,  N.  J.  Of  the  seven  soloists  who 
appeared  in  the  eleventh  annual  music  festival  of 
the  Cornell  University  Department  of  Music,  three 
were  Edison  singers — Anita  Rio,  Paul  Althouse  and 
Arthur  Middleton.  According  to  the  correspondent 
of  Musical  America,  "Anita  Rio  delivered  the 
music  which  falls  to  the  part  of  O  Mimi  Sun  with 
excellent  effect,  and  she  gave  delightful  evidences 
of  artistic  manipulation  of  tone  in  her  delineation  of 
the  Japanese  maid."  The  same  writer  stated  that 
"Paul  Althouse  fully  lived  up  to  the  expectations 
of  his  work,  his  beautiful  singing  tone  calling  forth 
enthusiastic  applause."  Arthur  Middleton,  noted 
the  country  over  for  his  appearances  in  "Elijah," 
sang  that  role  and  was  given  an  ovation. 

No  less  than  four  Edison  artists  appeared  in  the 
musical  festival  that  marked  the  opening  in  early 
May  of  the  celebration  of  the  250th  anniversary  of 
the  founding  of  Newark,  viz.:  Anna  Case,  Merle 
Alcock,  Christine  Miller  and  Riccardo  Martin. 
According  to  the  correspondent  of  Musical  America, 
"Merle  Alcock,  the  popular  contralto,  evoked  much 
enthusiasm  by  her  singing.  She  was  rewarded  by 
prolonged  applause  and  was  obliged  to  give  a 
number  of  encores."  In  speaking  of  Anna  Case, 
the  same  critic  stated  that  "she  brought  a  wealth 
of  tone  and  depth  of  feeling  that  immediately  won 
the  audience  and  she  was  given  an  ovation.  She, 
too,  responded  to  numerous  encores."  Miss  Miller 
and  Mr.  Martin  also  made  highly  favorable  im- 
pressions by  their  singing  in  Newark. 

In  the  Paterson  musical  festival  Mrs.  Alcock 
and  Miss  Case  were  numbered  among  the  soloists. 


Francisco  Acosta,  a  well  known  Havana  musi- 
cian, is  negotiating  with  the  management  of  Albert 
Spalding  for  an  appearance  of  the  famous  violin- 
ist in  the  Cuban  capital  during  the  coming  winter. 
Mr.  Spalding  appeared  in  Havana  during  the  past 
season  with  Loretta  Del  Valle  and  Andre  Benoist, 
and  the  trio  made   a   profound   impression. 


At  the  meeting  of  the  State  Federation  of 
Women's  Clubs,  held  in  Anderson,  S.  D.,  on  May 
9,  Reed  Miller  conducted  a  large  chorus  in  his 
production  of  Henry  Timrod's  "Carolina."  Mr. 
Miller,  himself  a  Carolinian,  has  produced  a  stir- 
ring setting  of  the  words  of  "Carolina." 


Julia  Heinrich,  whose  metropolitan  activities  for 
the  greater  part  of  the  past  year  have  been  con- 
fined to  operatic  appearances,  recently  gave  a 
recital  in  Aeolian  Hall,  New  York.  She  was  splen- 
didly received  by  a  critical  audience  and  she  was 
given  high  praise  by  the  professional  critics. 
According  to  Musical  America,  "she  seems  more 
fully  mistress  of  her  resources  to-day  than  a  year 
ago  and  her  voice  is  more  responsive  to  the 
demands  made  upon  it,  more  insinuating  in  quality. 
It  showed  beauties  that  were  unsuspected  in  the 
opera  house." 


"Long  to  be  treasured  in  the  memory  of  local 
music  lovers  was  the  recital  given  in  the  Grand 
Theatre  last  night  by  Christine  Miller,  contralto," 
comments  the  Fairmount,  West  Virginia,  corre- 
spondent of  Musical  America  on  a  recital  recently 
given  by  this  famous  Edison  artist. 


"Thomas  Chalmers  made  a  Tonio  of  low  cun- 
ning, in  acting  and  singing,  worthy  to  be  placed 
in  the  gallery  of  honor  with  Scotti's,  ForselPs  and 
Titto  RufFo's,"  comments  a  Minneapolis  paper  on 
a  performance  of  Pagliacci  that  was  given  re- 
cently in  St.  Paul,  Minn. 


The  Boston  Opera  Company,  of  which  Thomas 
Chalmers,  baritone,  and  Giovanni  Zenatello,  tenor, 
are  members,  closed  for  the  season  on  May  6th,  at 
Columbus,  Ohio. 


Margaret  Keyes  recently  gave  a  concert  before 
a  large  and  appreciative  audience  in  Harrisburg, 
Pa.,  appearing  jointly  with  Signor  Bove,  the  Ital- 
ian violinist. 


Mary  Jordan,  contralto,  appeared  recently  at  a 
concert  given  in  Montclair,  N.  J.,  for  the  benefit  of 
the  building  fund  for  a  new  hospital. 


Marie  Kaiser  was  the  soloist  at  the  closing  con- 
cert of  the  season  given  by  the  Albany,  N.  Y.,  Phil- 
harmonic Orchestra  on  April   18. 


Among  the  members  of  the  Metropolitan  Opera 
Company  who  have  gone  to  Europe  is  Jacques 
Urlus,  who  will   spend  the  summer  in  Sweden. 


10 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  JUNE,  1916 


TONE,  THE  SOUL  OF  MUSIC 

THE  most  powerful  argument  that  a  dealer 
has  when  selling  an  Amberola  is  "tone,"  and 
a  little  discussion  along  this  line  may  show  the 
dealer  why  this  is  so  and,  by  doing  so,  may  enable 
him  to  explain  to  prospects  the  importance  of  this 
phase  of  the  phonograph  question. 

The  greater  part  of  the  artistic  appeal  in  music 
is  based  on  tone  quality. 

The  greatest  pianists  and  the  most  noted  violin- 
ists of  the  world  are  not  great  merely  because  they 
have  great  technical  ability.  Of  course  they  are  all 
great  technicians,  but  there  are  innumerable 
pianists  playing  in  four-a-day  vaudeville  houses 
who  are  great  technicians.  The  latter  may  be 
wizards  of  the  key-board  or  finger-board,  but  they 
are  not  great  in  their  arts  because  they  either  lack 
tone  control  or  any  conception  of  the  meaning  and 
possibilities  of  tone.  Tone  is  somewhat  of  an 
intangible  quality,  but  let  a  great  pianist  strike  the 
key  of  an  instrument  and  you  will  find  something 
in  the  sound  that  is  lacking  when  the  key  is  touched 
by  an  amateur.  It  is  just  this  difference  that  makes 
one  player  able  to  sway  the  emotions  of  the  most 
critical  audience,  while  another  player,  who  is  just 
as  great  a  technician,  cannot  play  so  as  to  have 
any  particular  appeal  to  an  audience. 

The  lack  of  tone  quality  is  what  reacts  most 
powerfully  against  the  piano-player.  It  is  impos- 
sible to  make  a  mechanism  that  will  take  the  place 
of  the  human  nerves  and  muscles.  A  piano-player 
can  be  made  to  do  technical  stunts  that  eight  men, 
seated  at  the  piano  at  one  time,  could  not  begin 
to  equal,  but,  nevertheless  it  does  not  attract  any 
particular  attention.  The  reason  lies  in  the  fact 
that  it  is   not  truly  musical. 

Well,  you  claim,  the  phonograph  is  also  a 
machine  that  simply  reproduces  music.  It  is,  but 
there  is  a  difference.  The  principle  and  theory 
that  underlie  the  phonograph  and  the  piano-player 
are  entirely  different.  They  are  so  different,  in  fact, 
that  the  first  of  them  can  reproduce  the  tone  and 
the  soul  of  music,  while  the  other,  at  the  present 
time,  only  gives  a  mechanical  reproduction.  Before 
the  latter  can  produce  tone  it  must  be  constructed 
differently  than  it  is  now,  because  wires  and  felt 
and  wood  can  never  be  made  to  take  the  place  of 
nerves   and   flesh   and   blood. 

But  the  sound  and  the  tone  that  can  be  produced 
on  the  piano  or  violin  by  a  living  artist  can  be 
faithfully  reproduced  after  it  is  transmitted  to  a 
record.  It  seems  odd  that  such  a  beautiful  thing  as 
a  violin  solo  by  a  master  of  the  instrument  can 
be  reduced  to  the  mathematical  terms  of  vibrations. 
But  such  is  the  case;  and  in  the  invisible  vibrations 
that  emanate  from  a  musical  instrument  that  is 
being  played  the  very  soul  of  the  artist  is  con- 
cealed.    They  contain  every  element  of  sound   and 


tone,  and  if  the  most  minute  of  these  vibrations  are 
recorded  as  they  pass  away  and  if  they  are  prop- 
erly revived  after  they  have  been  secured,  the 
instrument  that  gave  them  birth  lives  again. 

The  difficulty  in  reproducing  tone  the  soul  of 
music,  lies  in  securing  a  mechanism  delicate  enough 
to  be  used  in  impressing  on  a  record  every  vibra- 
tion that  is  set  up  in  the  atmosphere  when  music 
is  played  or  when  a  song  is  sung;  in  securing  a 
material  that  will  receive  and  retain  these  invisible 
waves,  and  in  perfecting  a  mechanism  by  which  the 
ridges  and  furrows  that  are  made  in  the  record  by 
the  vibrations  may  be  compelled  to  give  up  all  the 
golden  notes  that  are  in  them.  In  all  of  these  par- 
ticulars Edison  has  been  successful  in  surpassing 
those  who  are  competing  against  him,  and  the  result 
is  manifested  in  the  superb  tonal  qualities  of  the 
Amberola. 

The  dealers  cannot  dwell  too  much  on  the  im- 
portance of  tonal  quality  in  connection  with  music 
when  they  are  talking  with  an  Amberola  prospect, 
because  a  proper  conception  of  the  supreme  im- 
portance of  tone  quality  in  music  will  invariably 
have  an  important  influence  upon  the  make  of 
machine  selected  by  the  purchaser  of  an  instrument 
for  music's  reproduction. 


PORTRAITS  OF  BLUE  AMBEROL 
ARTISTS 

We  have  had  a  number  of  requests  from  persons 
outside  the  Edison  organization  for  the  gravure 
portraits  of  artists  we  furnish  dealers.  Of  course 
these  portraits  were  made  for  the  use  of  dealers, 
but  if  you  have  any  requests  for  them  from  your 
customers  or  callers  at  your  store,  we  will  furnish 
prints  at  15c.  each,  mailed  in  a  tube,  postage  paid. 
Gravure  portraits  of  the  following  artists  are  now 
available: 

Alessandro  Bonci,  Tenor;  Anna  Case,  Soprano; 
Thomas  Chalmers,  Baritone;  Eleonora  de  Cisneros, 
Contralto;  Marie  Delna,  Contralto;  Julia  Hein- 
rich,  Soprano;  Marie  Kaiser,  Soprano;  Arthur 
Middleton,  Bass;  Christine  Miller,  Contralto; 
Marie  Rappoid,  Soprano;  Albert  Spalding,  Violin; 
Elizabeth  Spencer,  Soprano;  Jacques  Urlus,  Tenor; 
Alice  Verlet,   Soprano. 

Remittance  should  be  made  in  cash,  stamps  or 
money  order. 

Address  Thomas  A.  Edison,  Inc.,  Advertising 
Dept.,   Orange,   N.  J. 


SPECIAL  NOTICE 

It  has  just  been  discovered  that  Blue  Amberol 
Record  No.  1918,  Lalani  Hula's  Hawaii,  by  Toots 
Paka's  Hawaiians,  was  omitted  from  the  list  issued 
in  the  spring  of  1915.  It  has  been  out  of  the  regu- 
lar catalog  since  that  time. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  JUNE,  1916 


11 


Who's  Who  Among  Edison  Artists  in  the 
July  Blue  Amberol  List 


CRITERION  QUARTET 

THE  Criterion  Quartet,  of  New  York  City, 
that  is  pictured  on  the  cover  of  this  issue  of 
the  Phonograph  Monthly,  has  won  for  itself  an 
enviable  reputation.  The  individual  and  collective 
merits  of  these  artists  are  unquestionable,  and  few 
quartets  in  this  country  have  gained  such  notable 
comment  from  music  critics. 

John  Young,  first  tenor  of  the  quartet,  is  familiar 
to  Edison  phonograph  owners  as  for  many  years 
he  has  made  Edison  records  under  the  assumed 
name  of  Harry  Anthony,  his  superb  tenor  making 
him  one  of  the  favorites  among  Edison  artists.  He 
is  a  famous  oratorio  singer  and  has  appeared  with 
most  of  the  leading  oratorio  societies  of  the  coun- 
try. Horatio  Rench,  second  tenor,  is  soloist  in  the 
Collegiate  Church  of  New  York  City  and  he  is  an 
artist  whose  untiring  efforts  have  placed  him  in  the 
leading  rank  of  concert  tenors.  Wherever  he  has 
been  heard,  George  Reardon  has  been  commended 
for  his  rich  warm  baritone  voice  and  everywhere 
he  is  recognized  as  a  master  of  vocal  art.  Donald 
Chalmers,  basso,  has  often  been  referred  to  as  "the 
greatest  basso  in  the  country,"  and  he  is  accorded 
this  distinction  by  many  critics.  His  voice  is  of 
phenomenal  depth  and  sonority,  and  he  never  fails 
to  delight  his  audiences. 

Everywhere  the  Criterion  Quartet  has  appeared 
their  work  has  evoked  the  most  enthusiastic  praise 
from  musical  critics  and  from  all  classes  of  music 
lovers. 


ALBERT  SPALDING,  Violinist 

___^__=====,  Albert    Spalding,    America's   great- 
||  est    violinist    and    one    of    the    few 
I  great  violinists  of  the   world,   was 
I   born    in    Chicago    in    1888    and    re- 
Hfe  "OS^   w  I   ce^vec'     his     musical     education     in 
*■  New  York,  Florence  and  Paris.    He 
mr        ^M   early    displayed    a    love    for    music 
B»       ^H    and  at  the  age  of  seven  years  asked 
B*!w1*'    MM   ^or  a  vi°nn  and  quickly  astonished 
BE ! ^H  his  parents  by  his  wonderful   apti- 
tude for  the   instrument.     He  com- 
menced  his   serious   studies   soon   after  he  came   in 
possession  of  the  violin  and  at  the  age  of  ten  years 
appeared    before    the    Duke    and    Duchess    of    Con- 
naught.     At  the  age  of  fourteen  he  passed  the  ex- 
amination for  a  professorship  of  the  Bologna  Con- 
servatoire, a  record  that  had   not  been  made  since 
Mozart,  one  hundred  and  thirty-three  years  before, 
achieved  the  same  feat.     For  two  years  Mr.  Spald- 
ing studied  in  Paris  and  he  made  his  professional 
debut  in  June,  1906,  at  the  Noveau  Theatre  in  that 
city.     His  career  has  led  him  through  France,  Ger- 
many,  Italy  and   other  European  countries   and  he 
triumphed    wherever    he    appeared.      His    concerts 
in  this  country  are  musical  sensations  and  his  fol- 


lowing is  becoming  larger  and  more  enthusiastic 
each  year.  Besides  being  a  master  of  the  violin, 
Mr.  Spalding  is  a  composer  of  note,  having  a 
number  of  beautiful  and  artistic  compositions  to 
his  credit. 

LOU  CHIHA  "FRISCO,"  Xylophonist 
Lou  Chiha  "Frisco,"  the  first  xylo- 
phone soloist  to  attain  sufficient 
skill  to  manipulate  four  hammers 
at  one  time,  was  born  in  Chicago 
on  July  10,  1891.  He  started  his 
musical  studies  at  the  age  of  seven 
years  and  was  given  professional 
recognition  at  the  age  of  sixteen 
years,  although  making  public  ap- 
pearances several  times  before  his 
professional  career  commenced.  For 
a  number  of  years  "Frisco"  appeared  with  some  of 
the  largest  bands  in  the  United  States  and  Canada 
as  a  drummer  and  tympanist  and  xylophone  solo- 
ist. In  1913  he  entered  vaudeville  and  met  with 
great  success.  He  was  contemplating  a  tour  of  the 
world  when  the  European  war  commenced  and 
made  it  necessary  for  him  to  change  his  plans.  The 
four-part  harmony  xylophone  records  that  he  has 
made  for  the  Edison  catalog  are  the  first  of  the 
kind  ever  produced  and  they  are  unique  and  highly 
musical. 

EUGENE  A.  JAUDAS,  Orchestra  Leader 

Eugene    A.    Jaudas,    violinist    and 

leader  of  the  famous  Jaudas'  So- 
ciety Orchestra,  was  born  in  New 
York  on  October  11,  1869,  and  has 
been  a  resident  of  that  city  for  the 
greater  part  of  his  life.  He  had 
the  advantage  of  a  thorough  musi- 
cal education  during  his  boyhood, 
studying  the  violin  under  a  num- 
ber of  well-known  teachers.  He 
became  connected  with  the  Edison 
studios  in  1900,  since  when  he  has  made  several 
Blue  Amberol  violin  records,  but  is  best  known  as 
the  leader  of  the  Jaudas'  Society  Orchestra,  a 
widely  known  musical  organization,  which  has  con- 
tributed a  long  list  of  exceptionally  high  class 
dance  records  to  the  Edison  Blue  Amberol  catalog. 

PALAKIKO  FERREIRA,  Guitar 
Palakiko  Ferreira,  the  Hawaiian 
guitar  soloist,  who  appears  on  the 
July  list  of  Blue  Amberol  records 
in  a  duet  with  Helen  Louise,  is  of 
Spanish  descent  and  was  born  in 
Honolulu.  He  is  thoroughly  edu- 
cated in  Hawaiian  folk  songs,  now 
so  rapidly  disappearing,  and  was 
the  first  to  introduce  the  steel  gui- 
tar in  the  United  States.  This  was 
in  California  in  1900  and  since  that 
time  this  instrument  of  peculiar  make  has  become 
highly  popular  for  the  rendition  of  Hawaiian 
music.  Ferreira  uses  it  to  perfection.  His  touch  is 
perfect,  giving  a  wonderfully  clear  tone,  and  his 
technical  mastery  of  the  instrument  unsurpassed. 


12 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  JUNE,  1916 


AMBEROLA  AND  THE  FINE  ARTS 

VOICE  reproduction  is  one  of  the  modern  high 
arts  and  the  Amberola  is  one  of  the  high 
achievements  of  this  art.  It  is  well  to  emphasize 
the  dignity  of  voice  reproduction  and  its  standing 
among  the  arts  as  far  as  possible  in  your  window 
displays.  When  exhibiting  the  Amberola  always 
place  it  in  as  artistic  as  possible  a  setting. 

If  you  are  the  proprietor  of  a  music  store,  display 
your  Amberolas  in  connection  with  your  finest 
pianos  and  your  most  valuable  violins.  Don't  place 
an  Amberola  in  a  window  in  which  you  are  show- 
ing mouth-harps  or  accordions. 

If  you  sell  Amberolas  through  your  art  store, 
place  some  of  the  most  beautiful  and  classical  of 
your  pictures  in  a  window  in  which  you  show  the 
Amberola. 

If  you  are  in  charge  of  the  display  windows  of 
a  department  store,  you  have  more  latitude  than 
most  exhibitors  and  it  will  not  be  difficult  for  you 
always  to  provide  artistic  and  dignified  settings  for 
your   Amberola   displays. 

If  you  have  no  means  of  giving  the  Amberola  a 
setting  that  an  instrument  representing  one  of  the 
greatest  of  modern  arts  should  have,  place  it  alone 
in  a  window  without  making  any  attempt  to  height- 
en the  effect  that  might  be  secured  by  introducing  an 
elaborate  setting. 

Never  display  cheap  or  unharmonious  merchan- 
dise in  connection  with  the  Amberola.  Always 
strive  to  emphasize  the  fact  that  the  Amberola  is 
not  a  mere  talking  machine  but  that  it  is  a  noble 
instrument  of  music  that  should  be  accorded  the 
reverence  that  is  its  due. 


PHONOGRAPH   LED  NEW  EDISON 

EXECUTIVE  TO  ADOPT  HIS 

VOCATION 

GE.  FAIRBANKS,  former  works  manager 
.  for  the  Gilbert  &  Barker  Manufacturing 
Company,  Springfield,  Mass.,  on  May  1  suc- 
ceeded H.  T.  Leeming  as  works  manager  of  the 
Edison  Phonograph  Works.  Mr.  Fairbanks  is  a 
manufacturing  executive  of  wide  experience  and 
acquaintance,  and  in  Springfield  was  president  of 
the  Executives'  Club,  vice-president  of  the  Area 
Club,  and  was  prominent  in  other  organizations 
of  the  city  in  which  he  lived.  An  interesting  fact 
in  connection  with  his  career  was  brought  out  in 
a  recent  interview  in  which  he  stated  that  he  was 
first  inspired  to  adopt  his  life's  work  by  the 
achievement  of  Mr.  Edison  in  inventing  the  phono- 
graph. When  he  heard  the  phonograph  for  the 
first  time  the  wonder  of  the  invention  and  the 
possibility  of  achievement  that  it  expressed  made 
him  resolve  to  "make  things,"  a  resolution  that  he 


steadfastly  has  held  to  and  that  has  brought  him 
the   success  he  has   attained. 

"My  coming  to  the  Edison  Phonograph  Works 
is  somewhat  accidental  in  itself,"  said  Mr.  Fair- 
banks. "Yet,  when  I  pause  to  think  that  I  am  now 
connected  with  the  Edison  enterprises,  my  mind 
seems  to  go  back  to  a  winter's  night  some  thirty- 
one  years  ago.  At  that  time  I  was  living  on  a 
farm  and  had  heard  the  talk  of  my  elders  in 
regard  to  the  wonderful  phonograph  that  had  just 
been  invented  by  Mr.  Edison.  There  was  some 
division  of  opinion  as  to  whether  it  was  newspaper 
talk  or  whether  the  machine  would  do  what  was 
claimed  for  it,  namely,  reproduce  sound.  The 
opportunity  to  verify  the  statements  that  had  been 
circulated  regarding  the  instrument  came  when  an 
exhibitor  brought  one  of  the  machines  to  a  nearby 
town.  I  went  on  horseback  to  hear  it  and  paid 
fifty  cents  for  the  privilege.  And  then,  so  im- 
pressed was  I  with  it,  that  I  stayed  after  the  crowd 
had  left  and  helped  to  pack  it  up  so  that  I  might 
get  a  near  view  of  it. 

"Boy  as  I  was,  I  was  firmly  convinced  that  the 
inventor  of  the  machine  could  not  be  an  ordinary 
man.  In  my  opinion  he  was  a  super-man,  one  who 
was  not  of  the  earth  earthy,  but  one  who  belonged 
above  the  clouds.  And  I  was  intensely  interested 
in  the  mechanism  of  the  machine  and  viewed  with 
wonder  the  various  parts  that  a  genius  had  fash- 
ioned and  put  together  in  order  to  give  a  machine 
a  soul.  The  wonder  of  it  all  seemed  to  inspire  me 
and  that  night  I  determined  to  'make  things.'  And 
now,  thirty-one  years  afterward,  I  find  myself  in 
this  bee-hive  of  'making  things,'  under  the  leader- 
ship of  this  super-man  who  gave  a  soul  to  a 
machine.  Others  may  have  chained  the  lightning 
and  made  steam  and  other  forces  our  obedient 
servants,  but  only  a  super-man  could  devise  a 
means  for  catching  and  preserving  forever  that 
intangible  individualistic  expression  of  the  soul — 
the  human  voice.  And  to-day  the  phonograph  is  so 
much  more  wonderful  than  it  was  thirty-one  years 
ago.  Now  it  has  not  only  a  soul,  but  an  educated 
one.  It  is  easy  to  catch  the  spirit  that  prevails 
here  and  our  slogan  will  be  'Quality  First.'" 


PHONOGRAPHIC  ODDS  AND  ENDS 

It  was  just  twenty-one  years  ago  that  the  first 
phonograph  was  introduced  into  Havana.  An 
Edison  instrument  was  taken  to  the  city  at  that 
time  by  a  man  named  George  Yull,  who  opened  an 
exhibit  in  the  rear  of  Central  Park  in  the  Cuban 
city  and  charged  people  twenty  cents  to  hear  two 
selections.  The  amusement  venture  was  a  great 
success  until  the  phonograph  gradually  became 
an  article  of  commerce. 


Emperor  Franz  Josef  of  Austria  recently  re- 
corded his  opinions  of  the  European  war  on  a 
series  of  phonograph  records.  The  contents  of  the 
records  will  not  be  made  public  until  after  the 
death   of   the    ruler. 


The  hours,  halves  and  quarters  are  spoken  by 
an  English  clock  which  has  a  phonograph  with  a 
very  durable  record  as  a  part  of  its  mechanism. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  JUNE,  1916 


13 


"Wake   Up   America!"  and    Special    Fourth    of  July  Records 
Features  of  July  Blue  Amberol  Record  List.       Be  Prepared. 

Order  Every  Number 


JULY  is  a  month  when  the  patriotic  spirit  of  all 
Americans  is  aroused  and  the  coming  cele- 
bration of  Independence  Day,  in  view  of  the 
"preparedness"  agitation,  will  undoubtedly  be  the 
most  notable  one  of  recent  years.  To  fill  the 
demand  for  patriotic  records  that  the  season  will 
create,  five  numbers  of  a  martial  nature  have  been 
made  for  the  July  list.  Foremost  in  timeliness 
among  these  is  "Wake  Up,  America!"  sung  by 
Joseph  H.  Phillips.  This  song  threatens  to  sweep 
the  country  like  wildfire,  and  dealers  who  push 
record  2919  should  make  a  clean-up.  Other 
patriotic  records  on  the  list  are  a  superb  rendition 
of  the  "Battle  Cry  of  Freedom,"  by  Walter  Van 
Brunt,  and  a  splendid  rendition  of  "Dixie,"  by  the 
Metropolitan  Mixed  Chorus.  "Yankee  Doodle," 
sung  by  the  Metropolitan  Mixed  Chorus,  and 
Herbert's  "American  Fantasie,"  rendered  by  the 
New  York  Military  Band,  are  also  numbers  that 
should  move  off  your  shelves  as  fast  as  you  put 
them  on. 


In  addition  to  these  patriotic  records,  the  list  in- 
cludes some  records  of  the  latest  instrumental  and 
vocal  hits,  many  of  them  being  from  the  reigning 
musical  comedy  successes  of  Broadway.  "Nanny," 
one  of  the  latest  songs  of  Harry  Lauder's,  is  ren- 
dered in  an  irresistible  manner  by  Glen  Ellison. 
The  July  list  also  presents  a  new  rendition  of 
Schubert's  "Serenade."  On  this  new  record  the 
number  is  sung  by  Burton  Lenihan  with  a  power 
and  charm  that  make  it  unusually  beautiful.  It  is 
one  of  those  numbers  that  will  always  sell  and  that 
a  dealer  can  scarcely  overstock  on. 

Twenty-six  records,  each  one  having  some  qual- 
ity that  will  make  it  a  ready  seller — that  is  what 
the  Edison  recording  department  has  accomplished 
in  preparing  the  July  list  of  Blue  Amberol  records. 
Each  number  is  replete  with  merit  and  Blue 
Amberol  dealers  cannot  afford  to  dispense  with  a 
single  one  of  them. 

The  complete  list  is: 


BLUE  AMBEROL  RECORDS  FOR  JULY 

CONCERT 

28236  My  Old  Kentucky  Home— Variations,  Foster-Spalding,  Violin,  piano  ace.  by  Andre  Benoist 

28237  Air  des  Bijoux  (Jewel  Song) — Faust,  Gounod,  Soprano,  orch.  ace. 

REGULAR 

2896  Songs  of  Other  Days — No.  2,  Mixed  Voices,  orch.  ace. 

2897  I  Can  Dance  With  Everybody  But  My  Wife— Sybil,  Golden,  Tenor,  orch.  ace 

2898  Call  Me  Your  Darling  Again,  Skelly,  Soprano,  orch.  ace. 

2899  I  Seem  to  Hear  You  Gently  Calling,  Perrins,  Tenor,  orch.  ace. 

2900  Babes  in  the  Wood— Very  Good,  Eddie,  Kern,  Soprano  and  Tenor,  orch.  ace 

2901  Silver  Threads  Among  the  Gold,  Danks,  Xylophone,  unacc. 

2902  Wonderful  Rose  of  Love,  Mills,  Tenor,  orch.  ace. 

2903  (a)  De  Sandman,  Proiheroe;    (b)  The  Drum,  Gibson,  Male  Voices,  unacc. 

2904  The  Battle  Cry  of  Freedom,  Root,  Tenor,  orch.  ace. 

2905  Nanny  (I  Have  Never  Loved  Another  Girl  But  You),  Lauder,  orch.  ace 

2906  Serenade — Les  Millions  D'Arlequin,  Dngo 

2907  Lights  of  My  Home  Town,  Harris,  Tenor,  orch.  ace. 

2908  Swing  Along!     Cook 

2909  My  Pretty  Lena  (Yodle  Song),  Barton,  orch.  ace. 

2910  Serenade,  Schubert,  Tenor,  orch.  ace. 

2911  Aloha  Oe  Waltzes,  for  Dancing 

2912  Dixie,  Emmett,  orch.  ace. 

2913  What  a  Wonderful  Mother  You'd  Be    1'iantadosi,  Tenor,  orch.  ace. 


Albert  Spalding 
Alice  Verlet 

Metropolitan  Mixed  Chorus 

Billy  Murray 

Elizabeth  Spencer  and  Chorus 

Emory  B.  Randolph 

Gladys  Rice  and  Walter  Van  Brunt 

Lou  Chiha  "Frisco" 

George  Wilton  Ballard 

Criterion   Quartet 

Walter  Van  Brunt  and  Chorus 

Glen  Ellison 

Armand  Vecsey  and  His  Hungarian  Orchestra 

Walter  Van  Brunt 

Orpheus  Male  Chorus 

Ward  Barton 

Burton  Lenihan 

Jaudas'  Society  Orchestra 

Metropolitan  Mixed  Chorus 

Walter  Van  Brunt 

2914  Yankee  Doodle,  orch.  ace.  Metropolitan  Mixed  Chorus 

2915  American  Fantasie,  Herbert  New  York  Military  Band 

2916  Yaaka  Hula  Hickey  Dula     Hawaiian  Love  Song),  Goet;-  Young-Wendling,  Tenor,  orch.  ace.       Walter  Van  Brunt 

2917  Medley  of  Hawaiian  Airs— No.  1,  Hawaiian  Guitar  Duet  Helen  Louise  and  Palakiko  Ferreira 

2918  Sybil  Fox  Trot   (When  Cupid  Calls),  Jacobi,  for  Dancing  Jaudas'  Society  Orchestra 

2919  Wake  Up,  America!  Glngau,  Baritone,  orch.  ace.  Joseph  A.  Phillips 


BATTLESHIP  FUND  DANCE 

The  members  of  the  Alva  Club,  an  organization 
composed  of  young  women  employed  in  the  Edison 
factories,  Orange,  N.  J.,  gave  a  dance  in  the 
Orange  Armory  on  the  evening  of  Wednesday, 
April  26,  for  the  benefit  of  the  "Battleship 
America"  fund.     About  $250  was  netted. 


DEALERS'  ANNUAL  CONVENTION 

New  York  will  be  the  scene  and  the  Hotel  Mc- 
Alpin  the  place  where  Edison  Dealers  will  meet  for 
their  second  annual  convention,  June  22  and  23. 
Judging  from  all  indications  this  promises  to  be 
an  occasion  from  which  every  attending  dealer 
should  derive  much  benefit.     Will  you  be  there? 


14 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  JUNE,  1916 


UNIQUE  ADVERTISING  STUNT 

AS  an  example  of  making  the  best  of  circum- 
stances, we  cite  a  little  incident  regarding  J. 
W.  Jackson,  Amberola  dealer  at  Belchertown,  Mass. 
Late  in  March,  when  storm  after  storm  had  piled 
the  snow  deep  on  his  sidewalk,  made  traveling 
difficult,  and,  of  course,  had  a  tendency  to  make 
business  a  little  duller  than  usual,  Dealer  Jackson 
got  busy  and  in  a  short  time  had  the  snow  off  his 
walk  and   into  the  street. 


Subway  to  Store  of  J.  W.  Jack 
Belchertown,  Mass. 


SON. 


When  he  finished  he  had  a  pile  in  front  of  his 
door  twelve  feet  high  and  fifty  feet  in  circumfer- 
ence. Then  he  leveled  off  a  shelf  in  the  pile  and 
there  placed  a  Diamond  Amberola  with  a  window 
card  in  full  view  of  all  passersby.  Each  day, 
while  the  snow  lasted,  he'd  have  a  "change  of 
copy"  laying  out  a  different  design  in  record  cartons, 
window  cards,  etc.,  which  all  made  a  big  hit. 

For  the  convenience  of  folks  who  came  to  his 
store  in  sleighs  he  tunneled  a  subway  through  the 
snow,  which  is  plainly  evident  in  the  accompany- 
ing illustration. 


THE  EFFICIENT  WAY  TO  SELL 
TO  FARMERS 

ARE  there  any  counties  in  any  of  the  States  of 
this  country  that  do  not  have  their  farmers' 
associations?  There  may  be  some,  but  they  are  few. 
The  majority  of  these  organizations  have  their 
monthly  meetings  in  some  central  part  of  the  county 
and  this  is  the  strategical  point  for  you  to  attack 
in  a  selling  campaign  designed  to  embrace  all  the 
farmers  in  your  territory.  It  is  difficult  for  them,  as 
a  rule,  to  arrange  an  interesting  entertainment.  In 
connection  with  their  periodical  gatherings  an  Am- 
berola concert  would  be  a  welcome  addition  to  the 
most  of  their  programs.  A  dinner  is  usually  one 
of  the  features  of  such  a  gathering  and  a  dinner 
demonstration  is  highly  effective  in  many  instances. 
The  Amberola  dealer  who  sees  the  opportunities 
opened  by  the  farmers'  organizations  will  find  it 
very  easy  to  secure  permission  to  make  demonstra- 
tions and  he  will  find  that  in  most  cases  he  will  be 
a  highly  welcome  guest. 

In  some  States  the  Granges  are  the  organizations 
that  bind  the  farmers  together.  But  it  is  immaterial 
what  name  these  associations  are  under  as  long  as 
they  are  composed  of  the  better  class  of  farmers 
and  as  long  as  they  hold  regular  meetings. 

If  you  are  an  enterprising  dealer  you  will  not 
be  satisfied  with  making  a  demonstration  at  one 
meeting.  After  you  have  shown  the  members  of 
the  organization  something  of  the  possibilities  of 
the  instrument  at  the  first  gathering  you  will  follow 
up  the  work  you  have  done  by  giving  another  dem- 
onstration at  the  next  meeting.  After  you  have 
become  friendly  with  the  members  of  the  organiza- 
tion you  can,  perhaps,  get  permission  to  make  an 
address  on  the  part  that  the  phonograph  plays  in 
rural  life.  After  your  presentation  of  the  subject, 
if  you  make  a  careful  study  of  your  speech,  and  the 
audience  before  which  you  present  it,  you  should 
influence  many  to  purchase  instruments. 

There  are  so  many  clinching  arguments  to  sup- 
port the  allegation  that  there  should  be  an  Edison 
Amberola  in  every  farm  house.  The  isolation  and 
loneliness,  the  long  nights  in  winter,  the  pleasant 
evenings  in  summer,  the  advantages  of  good  music 
in  the  education  of  children,  the  psychological  effect 
of  music  in  inducing  contentment,  and  others  with- 
out number  make  selling  to  the  well-to-do  farmer  a 
comparatively  easy  matter.  And  the  wide-awake 
and  well-to-do  farmers,  remember,  are  active  mem- 
bers of   the   farmers'   organizations. 

In  these  days  of  prosperity  there  should  be  golden 
opportunities  in  the  rural  districts  and  we  believe 
that  we  have  suggested  one  of  the  best  ways  of 
taking  advantage  of  them. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  JUNE,  1916 


IS 


Just  Froth 


THE  RIGHT  SPIRIT 

"I'm  awfully  sorry  that  my  engagements  pre- 
vent my  attending  your  charity  concert,  but  I  shall 
be  with  you  in  spirit." 

''Splendid !  And  where  would  you  like  your 
spirit  to  sit?  I  have  tickets  here  for  half  a  dollar, 
a  dollar  and  two  dollars." 

A  MARTYR 

New  Pupil  (to  instructor) — Do  you  mean  to  say 
that  you  charge  me  $10  for  this  lesson? 

Teacher — Oh,  no;  I  charge  only  $4  for  the  les- 
son; the  other  $6  is  for  having  to  listen  to  your 
singing. 

NO  CHANCE 

Jones — That  young  man  who  plays  the  cornet 
is  ill. 

Green — Do  you  think  he  will  recover? 

Jones — I  am  afraid  not.  The  doctor  who  is 
attending  him  lives  next  door. 


PIKER! 

"The  hours  I  spent  with  thee,  dear  heart,"  sang 
the  sentimental  swain. 

"That's  all  that  some  people  ever  do  spend," 
remarked  his  inamorata  acidly. 

SYMPATHY 

Miss  (at  piano,  angrily) — As  soon  as  I  open  my 
mouth  that  horrid  dog  next  door  begins  to  howl ! 

Cook  (consolingly) — Never  mind,  miss,  that  dog 
howls   even  when   I   sing. 

NOT  GUILTY 

Pretty  Young  Woman — Have  you  "Kissed  Me  in 
the  Moonlight?" 

Clerk — It  must  have  been  the  man  at  the  other 
counter.     I've  only  been  here  a  week. 

ALL  IN  THE  FAMILY 
"Have  you  no  friends?"  asked  the  recorder. 
"No,    judge;    nothin'    but    relatives." — Neivburgh 
Journal. 


Jobbers  of  Edison  Amberola  Phonographs 
and  Blue  Amberol  Records 


ALABAMA 
Birmingham — Talking  Machine  Co. 

CALIFORNIA 

Los  Angeles — Diamond    Disc    Distribu- 
ting Co. 
San  Francisco— Pacific  Phonograph  Co. 

COLORADO 
Denver — Denver  Dry  Goods  Co. 
Hext  Music  Co. 

CONNECTICUT 

New  Haven — Pardee-Ellenberger  Co. 

GEORGIA 
Atlanta — Atlanta  Phonograph  Co. 

Phonographs,  Inc. 
Waycross — Youmans  Jewelry  Co. 

ILLINOIS 
Chicago — Babson  Bros. 

James  I.  Lyons. 

The  Phonograph  Co. 
Peoria — Peoria  Phonograph  Co. 
Quincy — Quincy  Phonograph  Co. 

INDIANA 

Indianapolis — Kipp  Phonograph  Co. 

IOWA 

Des  Moines — Harger  &  Blish 
Sioux  City — Harger  &  Blish. 

LOUISIANA 
New  Orleans — Diamond  Music  Co.,  Inc. 

MARYLAND 
Baltimore — E.  F.  Droop  &  Sons  Co. 


MASSACHUSETTS 
Boston — Iver-Johnson  Sporting  Goods  Co. 

Pardee-Ellenberger  Co. 
Lowell — Thomas  Wardell. 

MICHIGAN 
Detroit — Phonograph  Co.  of  Detroit. 

MINNESOTA 
Minneapolis — Laurence  H.  Lucker. 
St.  Paul— W.  J.  Dyer  &  Bro. 

MISSOURI 

Kansas  City— The  Phonograph  Co. 
St.  Louis — Silverstone  Music  Co. 

MONTANA 

Helena — Montana  Phonograph  Co. 

NEBRASKA 
Omaha — Shultz  Bros. 

NEW  JERSEY 
Paterson — James  K.  O'Dea. 

NEW  YORK 

Albany — American  Phonograph  Co. 
Buffalo — W.  D.  Andrews. 

Neal,  Clark  &  Neal  Co. 
Elmira — Elmira  Arms  Co. 
N.  Y.  City— I.  Davega,  Jr.,  Inc. 

J.  F.  Blackman  &  Son 
S.  B.  Davega  Co. 
Phonograph  Corp.  of 
Manhattan 
Rochester — Talking  Machine  Co. 
Syracuse — Frank  E.  Bolway  &  Son,  Inc. 

W.  D.  Andrews  Co. 
Utica — Arthur  F.  Ferriss. 
William  Harrison. 


OHIO 
Cincinnati — The  Phonograph  Co. 
Cleveland — The  Phonograph  Co. 

OREGON 

Portland — Pacific   Phonograph   Co. 

PENNSYLVANIA 
Philadelphia — Girard  Phonograph  Co. 
Pittsburgh — Buehn  Phonograph  Co. 
Scranton— Ackerman  &  Co. 
Williamsport — W.  A.  Myers. 

RHODE  ISLAND 
Providence — J.  A.  Foster  Co. 

TEXAS 
Dallas — Texas-Oklahoma  Phonog.  Co. 
El  Paso — El  Paso  Phonograph  Co.,  Inc. 

UTAH 

Ogden — Proudfit  Sporting  Goods  Co. 
Salt  Lake  City — Consolidated  Music  Co. 

VERMONT 
Burlington — American  Phonograph  Co. 

VIRGINIA 
Richmond — C.  B.  Haynes  &  Co. 

WASHINGTON 
Seattle — Pacific  Phonograph  Co.,  N.  W. 
Spokane — Pacific  Phonograph  Co.,  N.  W. 

WISCONSIN 
Milwaukee — The  Phonograph  Co. 

CANADA 
Calgary — R.    S.    Williams    &    Sons    Co., 

Ltd. 
Montreal — R.  S.  Williams  &  Sons  Co., 

Ltd. 
St.  John— W.  H.  Thorne  &  Co.,  Ltd. 
Toronto — R.  S.  Williams  &  Sons  Co.,  Ltd. 
Vancouver — Kent  Piano  Co.,  Ltd. 
Winnipeg — Babson  Bros. 

R.   S.  Williams  &  Sons  Co.,  Ltd. 


Does  Advertising   Pay?     Yes,    Provided   You 
Advertise.    Try  Some  of  These. 

THESE  advertisements  were  prepared  with  the  idea  of  giving  live  Amberola 
dealers  suggestions  for  making  the  public  familiar  with  the  general  excellence  of 
the  Diamond  Amberola.  The  cuts  shown  were  printed  from  electrotypes  just 
like  we  illustrate  in  the  new  catalog  of  advertising  cuts  mentioned  elsewhere  in  this  issue. 
There  are  others  just  as  good.  Look  them  over  and  adopt  some  of  our  ideas,  or  if  you 
have  better  ideas  use  your  own. 


(Electro  No.  348) 

FIRST    AND    LAST    WORD 
IN  PHONOGRAPHS 

Contrast  the  original  Edison  Phonograph 
shown  above  with  the  latest  EDISON 
DIAMOND  AMBEROLA  shown  below. 

In  its  day  the  first  phonograph  was  a 
wonder  simply  because  it  reproduced  the 
human  voice  with  a  fair  degree  of  accuracy. 
To-day  the  EDISON  DIAMOND  AM- 
BEROLA is  as  great  a  wonder  because  it 
absolutely  matches  every  human  quality  of 
the  actual  living  voice. 

The  EDISON  DIAMOND  AMBEROLA 
is  not  a  mere  "talking  machine."  It  is  a 
superb  musical  instrument.  You  will 
realize  this  as  soon  as  you  hear  it. 

Will  you  come? 


(Electro  No.  470) 
(Dealer's  Name  and  Address) 


THE  VOICE  OF 

Elizabeth 

Spencer 

That  has  thrilled 
thousands  by  its  mel- 
low  sweetness  is 
matched  in  all  its 
richness  on  the 


(Electro  No.  570) 

EDISON 
Diamond 
Amberola 

All  the  qualities  that 
move  and  inspire  those 
who  see  the  singer  as  she 
sings,  are  at  your  com- 
mand if  you  possess  a 
Diamond  Amberola.  (Electro  No.  412) 

Come  in  and  hear  a  Spencer  record  and  others  equally  delightful 
(Dealer's  Name  and  Address) 


WHEN  "SOMEONE"  COMES 


(Electro  No.  184) 

You  can  entertain  him  with  the  Edison 
Diamond  Amberola,  hearing  the  greatest 
singers  of  the  day  or  dancing  to  the  liveliest 
and  latest  popular  hits. 

And,  all  the  while,  you  can  take  pride  in 
the  fact  that  it  is  an  Edison — the  peer  of  all 
phonographs —and  not  a  common,  every- 
day "talking-machine"  that  you  would  feel 
like  apologizing  for. 

The  "humanness"  of  the  Amberola  is 
startling — hear  it. 

(Dealer's  Name  and  Address) 


i  m*  EDISON  1 

1  PHONOGRAPH! 
1 MONTHLY  | 

VOL.  XIV                          JULY,  1916                                  NO.  7         1 

l| 

ill .— 

ALBERT  SPALDING 

America's  Foremost  Violinist 

( See  Page  j) 

1 

■•••••••••••••••••■••••••■••■MM 

Faith  and  What's  Back  of  It 

SOMETHING  happened  at  the  Second  Annual  Convention  of  Edison 
Phonograph  Dealers,  Hotel  McAlpin,  New  York  City,  June  22-23, 
that  showed  the  real  class  of  the  Edison  x\mberola  and  what  is  really 
back  of  the  successful  Amberola  dealer's  faith  in  that  instrument,  a  faith 
born  of  knowledge,  of  wisdom  and  a   realization  of  just  why  people  buy 
phonographs,  and  especially  why  they  should  buy  the  Amberola. 

What  happened?  Well,  behind  a  curtain  there  were  played  in  direct 
comparison  what  those  present  thought  was  an  Edison  Disc  instrument 
and  a  well-known  make  of  "talking  machine."  Each  dealer  nodded  his 
head  wisely  and  commented,  "Of  course,  there  is  no  comparison."  And 
there  wasn't,  either,  but  the  dealers  thought  they  were  listening  to  an 
Edison  Disc  instrument,  when  all  the  time  it  was  an  Amberola  SO. 

And  of  what  was  this  a  demonstration?  Was  it  a  matter  of  type  of 
instrument,  shape  or  form  of  cabinet?  Was  it  a  question  of  cylinder  or  disc 
type  of  record?  Was  it  price  of  instruments  or  records?  Was  it  reputation 
of  artists?  Was  it  type  of  reproducing  stylus?  No,  it  was  none  of  these. 
It  was  just  a  demonstration  of  MUSIC  and  music  ONLY,  a  demonstration 
that  proved  conclusively  the  MUSICAL  superiority  of  the  Edison  Diamond 
Amberola,  a  superiority  that  was  heard  and  felt  by  all  those  present. 

Now,  what  do  prospective  purchasers  of  phonographs  want?  What  is 
in  their  mind  when  they  get  the  desire  for  a  phonograph?  Are  they  thinking 
about  cylinders,  discs,  needles,  sapphires,  diamonds,  vertical  cuts,  lateral 
cuts,  etc.?  Not  much.  That  which  is  uppermost  in  their  mind  is  MUSIC. 
Then,  isn't  it  reasonable  to  suppose  they  want  the  instrument  that  will 
give  them  MUSIC  in  the  purest  sense  of  the  term,  unadulterated,  golden 
melody,  24  carats  fine.     Or,  in  other  words,  Amberola  MUSIC? 

If  the  Edison  Diamond  Amberola  at  #30,  #50,  or  #75,  with  Blue  Amberol 
Records  at  50c,  75c,  or  #1.00  give  one  the  finest  music  by  the  greatest 
composers,  rendered  by  singers  and  instrumentalists  who,  as  artists,  have 
no  superiors  and  few  equals,  what  more  can  a  customer  want?  What 
more  could  YOU  want? 


The  Edison 
Phonograph  Monthly 


Volume  XIV 


JULY,  1916 


Number  7 


Score:  Amberola,  12;  Talking  Machine,  1 


TWELVE  to  one  in  favor  of  the  Diamond  Am- 
berola and  Blue  Amberol  records  over  the 
best  known  needle  type  of  talking-machine  and 
talking-machine  records! 

That  is  the  result  of  a  vote  made  by  the  mem- 
bers of  the  North  London  (Eng.)  Phonograph  and 
Gramophone  Society  following  a  contest  in  which 
an  Amberola  was  heard  in  direct  comparison  with 
the  talking-machine. 

This  verdict  of  an  unbiased  assembly  of  fair- 
minded  people  was  satisfactory,  but  not  surprising 
to  us.  We  know  that  the  Diamond  Amberola  is 
superior  to  any  phonograph  in  the  world  that  does 
not  bear  the  name  of  Edison,  and  that  is  why  we 
have  urged  you  to  give  "curtain-test"  demonstra- 
tions to  prove  to  phonograph  buyers  that  this  is 
true. 

If  there  is  the  feeling  in  the  mind  of  any  dealer 
that  our  praise  of  the  Amberola  and  Blue  Amberol 
records  has  been  exaggerated  or  unwarranted,  it 
will  be  dispelled  by  the  following  from  the  Lon- 
don "Sound  Wave": 

"A  full  and  representative  meeting  of  members 
and  friends  took  place  at  Highbury  Hall  on  April 
8,  on  the  occasion  of  the  cylinder  and  disc  contest, 
which  proved  to  be  exceptionally  interesting.  Mr. 
Norman  F.  Hillyer  presided,  while  Mr.  Henry 
Seymour  had  charge  of  the  cylinder  machine  (fitted 
with  his  latest  tone-arm  and  attachments),  and  Mr. 
Wallace  operated  the  'His  Master's  Voice'  gramo- 
phone with  Exhibition  sound-box.  The  cylinder 
had  the  Flaxite  horn  and  the  disc  a  metal  horn  of 
the  same  dimensions.  'Lohengrin's  Farewell,'  by 
Mr.  J.  Coates  (tenor)  was  the  first  disc  played, 
and  then  followed  'Take  a  Pair  of  Sparkling  Eyes,' 
by  Ernest  Pike  (Blue  Amberol).  No.  2,  compari- 
son was  made  with  the  disc  ('His  Master's  Voice') 
'Samson  and  Delilah,'  by  Mme.  Kirkby  Lunn  (con- 
tralto), after  which  'Ah!  mon  fils,'  from  'Prophete,' 
sung  in  French  by  Mme.  Marie  Delna  (grand  opera 
Blue  Amberol)  was  beautifully  rendered.  Com- 
parison No.  3  was  made  with  baritones,  Mr.  Robert 
Radford  singing  'Honour  and  Arms'  on  the  disc 
('His  Master's  Voice')  and  Mr.  Peter  Dawson  fol- 
lowing with  'The  Trumpeter'    (Blue  Amberol). 

''At  this  stage  Mr.  Wallace  desired  to  change 
the  disc  sound-box  for  an  Exhibition  box  fitted  with 
a  'Realtone'  diaphragm,  and  also  the  metal  horn 
for  a  wood  horn,  which,  he  thought,  would  be  more 
successful.  The  next  comparison  was  with  a  violin 
solo,  'Hungarian  Dance,'  by  Eugene  Ysaye  (Colum- 
bia 12-in.)   and  a  violoncello  solo,  'Rondo'   (Op.  94) 


(Dvorak)  (Concert  Blue  Amberol),  played  by 
Paulo  Gruppe.  Following  that  was  the  waltz  song 
from  'Romeo  and  Juliet,'  by  Miss  Geraldine  Farrar, 
in  French  ('His  Master's  Voice')  as  a  soprano  test, 
which  was  followed  by  'Una  voce  poco  fa,'  from 
the  'Barber  of  Seville,'  sung  by  Mme.  Selma  Kurz 
(grand  opera  Blue  Amberol).  The  next  was  a 
comic  song,  'Tobermory,'  by  Harry  Lauder  ('His 
Master's  Voice'),  which  was  followed  by  'Breakfast 
in  Bed,'  by  the  same  artist   (Blue  Amberol). 

"The  next  was  a  band  contest,  the  Overture  from 
Rienzi,'  on  the  disc  (Beka  Meister),  the  Overture 
from  'Figaro,'  by  the  Garde  Republicaine  on  the 
Blue  Amberol.  Following  this  was  Mme.  Clara 
Butt  in  'The  Promise  of  Life'  ('His  Master's 
Voice'),  and  'Love's  Dream  After  the  Ball,'  by  Miss 
Elizabeth  Spencer  on  the  Blue  Amberol.  Next  in 
order  was  a  disc  (Citizen  record),  'Until,'  by  Miss 
Ethel  Toms,  which  was  well  received,  but  the  in- 
troduction of  refreshments  at  this  stage  ushered  in 
the  usual  interval,  during  which  a  good  deal  of 
conversational    discussion   took   place. 

"The  second  part  of  the  programme  was  pro- 
ceeded with  after  the  interval,  and  Mr.  Seymour 
said  still  better  results  from  the  cylinder  were  ob- 
tainable by  the  use  of  a  large  Gilbert  flower  horn, 
which  he  attached  to  the  phonograph  tone-arm. 
The  'Souvenir  de  Moscow,'  violin  solo,  by  Mischa 
Elman  ('His  Master's  Voice'),  was  played  on  the 
disc,  followed  by  'The  Swan,'  violin  solo  by  Albert 
Spalding  (concert  Blue  Amberol).  The  next  was 
the  duet  from  'Boheme,'-  by  Caruso  and  Melba 
('His  Master's  Voice'),  which  was  followed  by  the 
'Gloria  from  the  12th  Mass,'  in  Latin,  by  the  Edi- 
son Mixed  Quartette  (Blue  Amberol).  'Steadfast 
and  True'  March  (Marathon),  was  followed  by 
the  'Columbian  Exposition  March'  (Blue  Amberol). 
Next  in  order  was  Schubert's  'Unfinished  Syphony,' 
by  the  Court  Symphony  Orchestra  (Columbia  12- 
in.),  followed  by  'Ballet  Music  from  William  Tell' 
(Blue  Amberol).  Next  was  'Off  to  Philadelphia' 
(Citizen),  by  Mr.  Hamilton  Anderson,  followed  by 
'Thy  Sentinel  Am  I,'  by  J.  Foster  Why  (Blue  Am- 
berol). A  selection  from  'Pagliacci,'  by  Caruso 
('His  Master's  Voice')  came  next,  followed  by 
'Lasca,'  a  monologue  by  Edgar  Davenport  (Blue 
Amberol).  Next  was  'The  Rosary'  (Citizen),  by 
Miss  Ethel  Toms,  followed  by  'Baby  Mine,'  by 
Miss  Elizabeth  Spencer  (Blue  Amberol).  The 
hour  being  late,  the  concert  was  brought  to  a  close 
by  'God  Save  the  King,'  sung  by  Peter  Dawson 
with  full  band  on  Blue  Amberol.  The  chairman 
asked  for  discussion,  and  Mr.  Seymour  opened  by 
saying  that  the  question  at  issue  was  not  so  much 
the  artistic,  but  the  technical  one;  in  other  words, 
which  system  at  present  in  vogue  was  the  better 
for    achieving    the    most    perfect    reproduction    of 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  JULY,  1916 


sound.  Mr.  Wallace  had  brought  a  number  of 
celebrity  records  which  were  excellent  in  their 
way,  but  the  competition  had  obviously  shown  that 
the  volume  and  breadth  of  tone  in  the  cylinders 
were  at  least  equal  to  the  best  discs,  while  the 
delicacy  of  reproduced  overtones  and  sibilant 
sounds  avas  far  more  perfect.  A  visitor  thought 
the  bass  instruments  in  band  selections  were  re- 
produced with  more  fulness  in  the  disc  than  in  the 
cylinder,  but  said  he  had  never  heard  a  soprano 
on  a  disc  equal  to  Mme.  Selma  Kurz  on  the  cylin- 
der. Mr.  Uffindell  said  'it  was  certain  that  the 
cylinder  had  beaten  the  disc  to-night.'  Mr.  Pack- 
man supported  Mr.  Seymour  as  having  fairly  sum- 
marised the  opinion  of  the  meeting,  when  a  call 
for  a  vote  was  made,  which  was  duly  recorded, 
the  result  of  which  was  12  to  I  in  favour  of  the 
cylinder  against  the  disc." 


NEW  AMBEROLA  DEALERS  FIND 
BUSINESS  PROFITABLE 

NO  dealer  takes  on  a  new  line  of  goods  unless 
he  is  reasonably  confident  that  the  energy  and 
money  he  will  expend  in  pushing  the  line  will 
result  in  substantial  profits  and  an  increase  of 
business.  So  the  fact  that  dealers  in  all  parts  of 
the  country  are  securing  licenses  by  which  they  are 
permitted  to  handle  the  Amberola  line  indicates 
that  the  cylinder  business  is  very  much  alive.  Since 
the  first  of  the  year,  hundreds  of  new  dealers  have 
secured  the  valuable  franchise  that  allows  them  to 
sell  Amberola  instruments  and  Blue  Amberol  rec- 
ords, and  these  new  dealers  are  developing  busi- 
ness that  is  highly  profitable.  The  dealers  who 
have  taken  out  the  Amberola  line  during  the  past 
month  are: 

AMBEROLA  ONLY 
Charles  F.  Weber,  Teutopolis,  111. 
Harry  R.  Thalls,  Hagerstown,  Ind. 
George  E.  Seavey,  108  Main  St.,  Amesbury,  Mass. 
Etzikom  Pharmacy,  Etzikom,  Alta.,  Canada. 
Ross    McKeen,    819    2nd    Avenue,    Owen    Sound, 
Ont.,  Canada. 

Marvin  Brothers,  Arrow  River,  Man.,  Canada. 

AMBEROLA  AND  DISC 
Keller  Brothers  Drug  Co.,  Third  and  Broadway, 
Skagway,  Alaska. 

M.  E.  Crockett,  Main  St.,  Sisseton,  South  Dakota. 
Hopper-Kelly  Co.,  945  Broadway,  Tacoma,  Wash. 
Diamond   Disc   Shop,   151    Baronne   St.,    New   Or- 
leans, La. 

The    Mercantile    Co.,    Broadway    and    Pine    St., 
Long  Beach,  Cal. 

Hopewell    Music    Shop,    Inc.,    Broadway,    Hope- 
well, Va. 

Theodore    A.    Matson,    1324    Washington    Ave., 
Racine,  Wis. 

Schoeneberg   &    Rahn,    206    State    St.,    St.   Joseph, 
Michigan. 

Thomson  &  Company,   Santa  Rosa,  New  Mexico. 
Texas    Pacific    Merc,    and    Mfg.    Co.,    Thurber, 
Texas. 

J.  R.  Hartgraves,   Caldwell,  Texas. 
Waconia  Drug  Co.,  Waconia,  Minn. 
Rodgers-Wade   Furniture   Co.,   Paris,   Texas. 
Max    Davis,   612-614   Spring   St.,   West   Hoboken, 
New  Jersey. 


PREVIOUS    DISC    DEALERS   TAKING    ON 
AMBEROLA 

C.  F.  Bath  Music  Store,  317  Broadway,  Abilene, 
Kansas. 

Frank  Rouse,  Benson,  Nebraska. 

Hutchison-Wamser  Co.,  1003  Gallia  St.,  Ports- 
mouth, Ohio. 

Book  Brothers  Piano  Co.,  State  and  Mifflin  Sts., 
Madison,  Wis. 

B.  &  W.  Drug  Co.,  208  Main  St.,  Vernon,  Texas. 

C.  J.  Robinson,  Newell,  la. 
H.  L.  Paden,  Atwood,  Kas. 

Henry  &  John  Pommer,  153  South  Pearl  St., 
Albany,  N.  Y. 

W.  W.  Williamson,  Sulphur  Springs,  Texas. 

H.  D.  Leffel,  107  South  Chatbourne  St.,  San  An- 
gelo,  Texas. 


EDISONIANS  ORGANIZE  BAND 

A  BAND  has  been  organized  at  the  Edison 
factories  at  Orange,  N.  J.,  the  membership 
being  confined  to  men  employed  in  the  Edison 
plant.  Arrangements  have  been  made  whereby 
the  members  of  the  band  will  have  the  advantage 
of  the  best  instruction  that  can  be  provided  and  a 
high-class  musical  organization  is  anticipated. 
Although  formed  only  a  short  time  ago,  the  Edison 
band  already  has  an  extensive  membership  and  a 
lively  interest  is  being  manifested  in  its  activities, 
both  on  the  part  of  the  members  and  their  fellow 
employees. 

The  first  public  appearance  of  the  new  organi- 
zation was  on  June  14th,  flag  day,  when,  with 
appropriate  ceremonies,  the  stars  and  stripes  were 
raised  above  the  roof  of  Mr.  Edison's  laboratory. 
Despite  the  fact  that  only  a  few  rehearsals  had 
been  held,  the  efforts  of  the  musicians  resulted  in 
the  production  of  some  inspiring  music,  which 
was  thoroughly  enjoyed  by  the  large  number  of 
employees  of  the  Edison  factories  present. 


NEW  AMBEROLA  SHOP  AT 
ATLANTA 

One  of  the  finest  phonograph  shops  in  the  South 
will  be  that  to  be  occupied  about  October  1  by 
Phonographs,  Inc.,  Edison  jobbers  at  Atlanta.  It 
will  be  at  Ellis  and  Peachtree  streets,  in  a  fine 
business  section.  The  main  floor  will  be  devoted 
to  salesrooms,  demonstration  booths  and  recital 
hall.  The  wholesale,  bookkeeping  and  mailing 
departments  will  occupy  the  second  floor. 


WILL  FEATURE  AMBEROLA 

Crosby  Brothers,  Topeka,  Kansas,  who  have  the 
reputation  of  operating  the  largest  department 
store  in  that  city,  recently  opened  a  department  in 
which  the  Edison  Diamond  Amberola  and  Blue 
Amberol  Records  will  be  featured,  Edison  phono- 
graphs and  records  being  handled  exclusively.  M. 
E.  Mikesell  is  in  charge  of  the  new  department. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  JULY,  1916 


How  I  Keep  Selling  Amberola  Instruments 
and  Blue  Amberol  Records 


By  T.  H.  Clancy,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 


THE  success  that  I  have  had  in  selling  the 
Amberola  line  and  keeping  it  highly  profitable 
to  me  has  been  maintained  simply  by  taking  advan- 
tage of  every  possible  opportunity  to  push  and 
advertise  the  Amberola  instruments  and  Blue 
Amberola   records. 

I  advertise  constantly  by  mailing  out  supple- 
ments and  catalogs  and  by  using  newspaper  space. 
I  keep  my  customers  interested  in  the  records  by 
suggesting  to  them  the  numbers  of  the  songs  or 
instrumental  pieces  I  know  they  will  be  interested 
in.  In  every  way  I  try  to  make  those  who  visit 
my  store  feel  at  home.  But  the  only  way  to  be 
certain  of  keeping  a  customer  is  to  carry  a  com- 
plete stock  of  every  record  that  is  listed  and  also 
a  reserve  stock  of  the  best  sellers.  Doing  this  has 
been  one  of  my  business  principles  and  I  know  that 
it  has  won  me  many  customers  and  then  held  them 
for  me.  Edison  dealers  should  all  keep  a  complete 
stock  of  instruments,  a  full  line  of  these  being  just 
as   essential    as   a   full    line   of   records. 


From  my  general  knowledge  of  the  phonograph 
business  I  am  convinced  that  the  Edison  will  build 
up  a  business  better  than  all  the  talking  machines 
combined  and  it  seems  to  me  to  be  very  poor  busi- 
ness to  have  a  cheap  talker  displayed  in  the  same 
store  with  the  Edison.  Dealers  who  handle  such 
cheap  machines  should  realize  that  each  one  of 
these  that  is  sold  kills  the  sale  of  a  better  instru- 
ment. The  person  who  buys  an  inferior  make  of 
phonograph  is  not  only  temporarily  out  of  the 
market  for  a  real  phonograph  but  often  perma- 
nently. The  raspy  grinding  of  the  "talker"  dis- 
gusts him  with  all  phonographs  and  it  is  difficult 
to  convince  him  that  any  instrument  of  this  kind 
can  be  desirable. 

I  would  advise  all  Edison  dealers  to  drop  all 
cheap  junk  and  carry  Edisons  exclusively,  main- 
taining a  complete  stock  of  records  and  instru- 
ments. It  is  better  and  more  profitable,  I  believe, 
to  be  a  quality  than  a  quantity  dealer. 


FIREMEN    SHOULD    BUY 
AMBEROLA    PHONOGRAPHS 

HAVE  you  sold  an  Amberola  phonograph,  or  a 
number  of  Amberola  phonographs,  to  the 
firemen  of  your  city  or  village? 

If  not,  you  have  some  excellent  prospects  to  start 
work  upon  at  once.  There  are  no  men  in  greater 
need  of  diversion  than  firemen,  and  we  do  not 
believe  that  any  class  of  men  would  be  easier  to 
approach  with  an  Amberola  proposition.  The 
greater  part  of  their  time  must  be  spent  in  attempt- 
ing to  ward  off  the  lassitude  that  results  from  the 
conditions  under  which  they  work,  and  those  who 
have  been  in  circumstances  in  which  they  had  com- 
paratively nothing  to  do  know  just  how  difficult 
this  is  to  accomplish.  Anything  that  will  make  the 
wait  for  the  next  alarm  less  tedious  will  find  a 
welcome  among  the  fire-fighters. 

We  cannot  think  of  any  better  means  of  diverting 
the  mind  than  that  afforded  by  the  Amberola  and  a 
good  collections  of  records.  And  the  cost  is  mod- 
erate. In  the  larger  cities,  where  there  are  a 
number  of  men  located  at  each  station,  the  cost 
per  man  to  secure  a  machine  would  be  very 
little  and  the  amusement  that  they  would  secure 
from  it  as  individuals  would  be  worth  far  more 
than  each  paid.  The  firemen  might  make  the  objec- 
tion that  an  Amberola  would  interfere  with  their 
sleep,    as    they    work    by    "tricks"    and    some    sleep 


while  others  are  ready  for  duty.  The  captain  of 
the  house,  however,  could  easily  regulate  the  hours 
during  which  the  machine  might  be  used  so  that 
it  would  not  disturb  any  men  who  were  trying  to 
sleep,  and  so  that  it  would  not  be  overplayed.  If 
you  find  it  difficult  to  sell  to  the  firemen  direct,  it 
might  be  possible  to  start  a  civic  movement  by  call- 
ing the  attention  of  the  public  to  the  tiresome  con- 
ditions under  which  firemen  live,  and  emphasizing 
the  diversion  that  an  Amberola  would  afford  them. 
This  work  could  be  done  to  the  best  advantage  by 
securing  the  backing  of  a  woman's  club,  preferably 
a  musical  organization. 

In  the  smaller  cities  and  in  the  larger  villages 
the  interest  of  the  people  in  the  firemen  might  be 
so  stimulated  as  to  make  practical  the  giving  of  an 
Amberola  concert  or  an  Amberola  dance,  the 
proceeds  to  go  toward  the  purchase  of  a  machine 
or  machines  for  the  firemen.  There  should  be  an 
Amberola  in  every  fire  station  in  the  country,  and 
if  they  are  placed  there  it  means  a  lot  of  profit  and 
pleasure.  

W.  C.  Wyatt,  manager  of  the  Edison  phono- 
graph department  of  the  Denver  Dry  Goods  Co., 
Denver,  Col.,  says  that  he  is  obliged  to  carry  sev- 
eral thousand  Blue  Amberol  records  in  stock  con- 
stantly in  order  to  meet  the  large  demand  in  Den- 
ver and  vicinity.  Despite  his  reserve  stock,  he  has 
to  order  new   assortments   almost  continually. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  JULY,  1916 


PERSONAL  TASTE  IN  ORDERING 
RECORDS 

APROPOS  of  that  excellent  page  7  in  the 
Phonograph  Monthly  for  June.  Did  you 
read  it  carefully  and  take  to  heart  what  was  said 
or  did  you  just  glance  over  it  and  forget  it?  If 
by  any  chance  you  didn't  give  it  serious  thought, 
pull  it  out  of  your  drawer  and  re-read  it.  The 
"proof  of  the  pudding  is  in  the  eating,"  and  the 
fact  that  all  of  these  four  Edison  Dealers  are  suc- 
cessful merchants  proves  that  their  action  in  this 
matter  is  sound  and  very  desirable  to  adopt.  One 
of  the  worst  things  a  dealer  can  possibly  do  when 
ordering  records  is  to  let  his  personal  taste  influ- 
ence his  purchases.  No  matter  what  opinion  you 
may  have  of  this  subject,  you  cannot  do  it  and 
make  a  success  at  it.  Judging  the  public's  taste  is 
almost  an  impossibility.  You  never  can  tell  just 
what  constitutes  a  hit  and  what  suits  their  fancy. 
How  many  times  have  you  seen  a  record  you  per- 
sonally wouldn't  give  five  cents  for  become  a  hot 
seller?  Or  something  you  thought  exceptionally 
fine  move  very  slowly?  There  are  gentlemen  who 
have  been  associated  with  this  company  for  years 
who  study  conditions  constantly  and  they  are  very 
frank  to  admit  it's  about  the  most  difficult  thing 
imaginable  to  tell  just  what  constitutes  a  hit  and 
why  it  is  the  superior  seller.  Another  thing,  we 
notice  a  tendency  on  the  dealer's  part  to  judge  rec- 
ords by  the  name  of  the  selection.  It  can't  be  done. 
Just  how  this  works  against  you  is  illustrated  in 
the  following: 

On  the  July  list  is  Edison  record  No.  2908 
"Swing  Along!"  sung  by  the  Orpheus  Male  Chorus. 
This  record  was  completely  overlooked  by  many 
dealers,  undoubtedly  because  the  name  didn't  sound 
inviting.  Now  when  you  have  finished  reading  this, 
if  you  were  fortunate  enough  to  order  it,  go  play 
it.  It's  a  gem!  Full  of  snap  and  action  and  that 
kind  of  negro  rhythm  so  characteristic  of  the  race 
and  so  popular  with  the  public.  It  should  sell  to 
anyone  who  cares  for  music.  So  you  see,  after  all, 
the  advisability  of  always  ordering  a  complete  list 
eliminates  the  uncertainty  of  being  caught  without 
goods  when  a  rush  comes  for  a  certain  record  that 
possibly  you  thought  only  fair.  Write  to  your  Job- 
ber to-day,  this  very  moment,  giving  him  a  standing 
order  for  each  list  as  it  comes  out.  Will  you  do 
this? 


ronage  but  which  do  such  a  comparatively  small 
business  that  the  luxury  of  an  orchestra  cannot  be 
afforded. 

A  high-class  music-reproducing  instrument  such 
as  the  Edison  Amberola  can  become  a  valuable 
adjunct  to  a  business  like  this  if  it  is  properly 
used.  A  program,  not  to  exceed  the  number  of 
selections  that  would  be  played  by  an  orchestra, 
should  be  arranged  and  the  numbers  should  be 
carefully  selected  by  some  person  who  is  competent 
to  make  up  restaurant  programs.  It  is  very  essen- 
tial that  the  music  should  be  of  the  right  class  if 
the  selections  are  to  add  to  the  pleasure  of  the 
diners.  There  should  be  an  intermission  of  several 
minutes  between  each  selection  just  as  there  is  an 
intermission  between  the  numbers  played  by  an 
orchestra.  The  only  way  that  a  phonograph  is 
made  tiresome  is  by  playing  one  record  after 
another  as  fast  as  they  can  be  placed  on  the 
machine.  The  greatest  singer  in  the  world,  or 
the  finest  musical  organization  would  weary  an 
audience  if  there  were  no  pauses  between  the 
numbers   on   their   programs. 

If  used  properly  the  Amberola  will  fill  in  an  ideal 
way  the  musical  requirements  of  many  small  res- 
taurants that  now  suffer  because  they  cannot  offer 
their  patrons  a  little  music  with  their  meals. 
Dealers  will  find  that  they  can  make  a  number  of 
sales  by  placing  instruments  on  trial  in  the  smaller 
restaurant,  first  instructing  the  person  who  will 
have  charge  of  the  machine  how  to  play  it  to  the 
best  advantage  and  in  a  way  that  will  appeal  to 
to  the  patrons  of  the  place. 


AMBEROLA  IN  A  SMALL 
RESTAURANT 

Proprietors  of  small  restaurants  or  tea  rooms, 
who  cater  to  a  refined  class  of  people,  should  be 
interested  in  the  possibilities  of  the  Amberola  in 
connection  with  their  business.  There  are  many 
little   restaurants   which  cater  to   an   exclusive   pat- 


WILL  YOU  CO-OPERATE? 

Accompanying  last  month's  Phonograph  Monthly 
was  the  following  letter: 

"We  are  desirous  of  making  this  year  the  biggest 
and  most  productive  that  the  cylinder  line  has  ever 
enjoyed.  Present  indications  point  to  a  tremendous 
increase  in  this  business,  which  will  possibly  call 
for  some  new  methods  in  caring  for  this  increase. 

"With  this  thought  in  mind  we  ask  that  you  for- 
ward to  us  at  your  earliest  opportunity  any  sug- 
gestions that  in  your  estimation  would  be  bene- 
ficial to  the  growth  of  the  cylinder  line.  These 
suggestions  should  cover  everything  from  the  atti- 
tude of  the  public  in  your  vicinity  up  to  any  per- 
sonal thought  you  may  have  on  the  best  method  of 
marketing  this  product.  This  information  will  be 
of  value  to  us  and  you  are  cordially  requested  to 
offer   any   suggestions  you   desire. 

"While  this  letter  is  going  to  every  one  interested 
in  Cylinder  goods  it  is  in  no  sense  a  form  letter, 
we  desire  your  personal  views. 

"Please  bear  in  mind  that  in  offering  these  sug- 
gestions that  we  desire  only  constructive  criticism." 

THOMAS  A.  EDISON,  INC., 

Musical  Phonograph  Division, 
Amberola    Department, 

K.  R.  Moses,  Sales  Manager. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  JULY,  1916 


Doings  of  Edison  Artists 


THAT  supreme  art,  talent  and  genius  is  sure  to 
make  itself  known,  has  again  been  amply  dem- 
onstrated by  the  tremendous  success  which  is  being 
accorded  to  Albert  Spalding,  the  great  American 
violinist  and  Edison  Blue  Amberol  artist,  who  is 
now  on  tour  as  a  special  feature  with  the  Friars' 
All-Star  Frolic.  This  remarkable  organization 
which  is  composed  of  over  one  hundred  of  the 
leading  stars  of  the  theatrical  and  musical  world, 
has  been  meeting  with  phenomenal  success  in  all 
the  large  cities  east  of  St.  Louis  in  which  it  has 
appeared,  but  the  bright  particular  star  of  the 
entire  constellation  is  the  young  American  violin- 
ist, whose  masterly  technic  and  beautiful  tones 
never  fail  to  win  for  him  an  ovation  of  applause. 
The  New  York  Telegram  said:  "Albert  Spalding's 
noble  performance  of  a  Sarasate  transcription  of  a 
Chopin  nocturne  was  the  most  beautiful  memory 
which  the  Friars'  Frolic  left."  The  Philadelphia 
Telegraph  said:  "Albert  Spalding  played  a  com- 
position of  his  own,  'Alabama,'  amid  tremendous 
applause."  The  Baltimore  American  in  part  said: 
"Albert  Spalding,  the  world's  famous  violinist, 
played  his  own  composition,  exciting  the  most  en- 
thusiastic   applause    of    the    evening." 


Anita  Rio  was  highly  honored  at  the  "Artists' 
Night"  concert  of  the  Keene,  N.  H.,  Music  Festival 
by  being  obliged  to  respond  repeatedly  to  encores. 
After  singing  an  aria  from  "Aula"  she  gave  two 
encores,  the  second  of  these  consisting  of  a  group 
of  Mother  Goose  songs  by  Arthur  Edward  John- 
stone. She  rendered  ten  of  these  songs  on  this 
occasion  and  was  obliged  to  repeat  several  of 
them.  All  of  these  quaint  little  vocal  gems  were 
dedicated  to  Mme.  Rio  by  the  composer  and  this 
popular  Edison  artist  has  been  very  successful 
in  singing  them  during  the  past  season. 


Christine  Miller,  the  famous  contralto,  closed  the 
most  successful  season  of  her  career  on  June  1, 
having  made  more  appearances  and  received 
more  enthusiastic  receptions  during  the  past  sea- 
son than  ever  before.  She  will  take  a  long  and 
restful  vacation  and  her  appearances  will  be  few 
during  the  summer.  In  spite  of  the  fact  that  she 
will  not  appear  in  concert  to  any  extent  until  next 
fall,  her  voice  will  not  be  silent.  Edison  owners, 
the  world  over,  have  superb  reproductions  of  her 
voice  and  she  will  be  singing  to  them  just  as  in 
life,  even  while  she  is  taking  her  vacation. 


"Miss  Case  was  generous  with  her  offerings,  but 
so  favorable  was  the  impression  made  by  her  art 
and  her  charming  personality  that  more  was  de- 
manded,"   says    Musical    America    in    referring    to 


the  appearance  of  Anna  Case,  the  famous  soprano 
and  Edison  artist,  with  the  Mendelssohn  Club  of 
Albany  at  the  spring  concert  given  by  that  organ- 
ization  late  in   May. 


Marie  Kaiser,  the  noted  American  soprano  who 
has  made  many  records  for  the  Blue  Amberol 
catalog,  was  heard  in  sixty-eight  cities  during  the 
season  that  just  has  closed.  In  many  of  the  places 
she  played  return  engagements  or,  for  some  other 
reason,  made  more  than  one  appearance,  so  her 
list  of  concerts   will    reach   nearlv  one  hundred. 


Mary  Jordan  had  the  pleasure  of  appearing  at 
the  spring  concert  of  the  Junger  Mannerchor  in  her 
native  city,  Scranton,  Pa.,  early  in  May.  Accord- 
ing to  reports  from  Scranton  she  was  given  a 
greater  ovation  than  any  singer  who  ever  ap- 
peared in  the  city.  She  captivated  her  audience  by 
singing  a  number  of  old  favorites  in  connection 
with  the  program  of  classics  that  she  gave,  the 
encores  she  responded  to  including  "Long,  Long 
Ago,"    "Supposin',"    and    "The    Rosary." 


Alice  Verlet  recently  appeared  in  Toronto,  Can- 
ada, in  a  benefit  concert  given  for  the  ''Bantam 
Battalion,"  as  the  Two  Hundred  and  Sixteenth 
Battalion  is  known.  The  great  Belgian  coloratura 
soprano,  who  made  her  first  appearance  in  Canada 
on  this  occasion,  was  given  a  splendid  welcome 
and   her  numbers  were   encored    repeatedly. 


The  Tollefsen  Trio  participated  in  a  most 
successful  concert  given  recently  in  Montclair,  N. 
J.,  under  the  direction  of  Mark  Andrews,  conduc- 
tor of  the  Montclair  Glee  Club. 


At  a  memorial  concert  given  at  Carnegie  Hall, 
New  York  City,  in  honor  of  those  soldiers  of  the 
Central  Powers  who  have  fallen  in  the  war,  Otto 
Goritz,  Edison  Blue  Amberol  artist,  was  heard  in 
his  own  composition,  "Fern  von  der  Heimat  in 
schwerer  Zeit"  ("Far  from  the  Homeland  in  Trou- 
blous Times").  The  words  and  music  are  both 
by  the  popular  Metropolitan  baritone.  Mr.  Goritz 
was  given   an  ovation   at  the  close. 


The  members  of  the  Tollefsen  Trio,  an  organi- 
zation that  has  made  a  number  of  high-class  records 
for  the  Blue  Amberol  catalog,  are  preparing  pro- 
grams that  they  will  render  at  recitals  to  be  given 
during  the  summer.  Among  their  appearances  dur- 
ing the  warm  months  will  be  one  at  Knoxville, 
Tenn.  They  also  will  appear  in  Charlottesville 
and  Hampton,  Va.  The  three  concerts  above  will 
be  given  during  the  month  of  July. 


8 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  JULY,  1916 


Edison   Phonograph   Monthly 


Published  in  the  interest  of 

EDISON  AMBEROLA  PHONOGRAPHS 

AND 

BLUE  AMBEROL  RECORDS 

By  Thomas  A.  Edison,  Inc. 

ORANGE,  N.  J.,  U.  S.  A. 

Foreign  Offices: 

164  WARDOUR  ST.,  LONDON,  W.  ENGLAND 

364-372  KENT  STREET,  SYDNEY,  N.  S.  W. 

3  YORKSTRASSE,   BERLIN 
59  RUE  DES  PETITES-ECURIES,  PARIS 


Editorial 


Concentration 


The  establishment  of  a  spec- 
ial   Amberola    Sales   Depart- 


ment by  Thomas  A  Edison, 
Inc.,  should  result  in  an  increased  concentration 
on  the  cylinder  instrument  and  record  business.  If 
the  manufacturers  find  it  good  business  policy  to 
separate  their  disc  and  cylinder  lines,  dealers 
should  take  it  for  granted  that  this  new  sys- 
tem is  the  most  productive  of  sales  and  profits, 
and  should  adopt  it  as  far  as  possible.  Handling 
lines  that  compete  with  each  other  presents  some 
peculiar  mercantile  problems — problems  that  can 
be  solved  only  by  merchandising  the  lines  sepa- 
rately. So  your  Amberola  business  should  be  kept 
apart  from  your  other  business  and  given  either 
your  individual  attention  or  that  of  some  person 
employed   explicitly  for  this   purpose. 

Above  all  else,  keep  it  distinct  from  the  disc 
phonograph  business.  Do  not  advertise  "Edison 
phonographs."  Advertise  the  Edison  Diamond 
Disc  or  the  Edison  Diamond  Amberola.  Individ- 
ualize the  lines  if  you  wish  to  make  the  most  of 
each  one.  Place  them  in  separate  departments  and 
under  different  control.  Don't  carry  Diamond 
Amberolas  and  Blue  Amberol  records  because  you 
feel  you  have  to — carry  them  because  you  want  to 
and  because  you  believe  they  will  be  profitable 
to  you. 

Thomas  A.  Edison,   as  many  of 
Edison  y°u  read  in  the  daily  papers,  re- 

cently spent  18  days  in  his  lab- 
oratory, engaged  in  evolving  a  process  by  which  he 
might  secure  an  improved  record.  During  that  time 
he  never  left  the  building  and  worked  incessantly, 
catching  a  few  moments  of  sleep  now  and  then 
when  he  was  driven  to  rest  by  absolute  exhaustion. 
When  he  entered  the  laboratory  at  the  beginning 
of  the  18  days  he  had  an  idea — when  he  came  out 
he  left  behind  him  a  reality — an  improved  record. 
It  is  Edison,  the  man,  who  makes  so  great  the 
organization  he  has  built  up  around  him.  As  his 
creative  instinct  led   to  the  invention  of  the  phono- 


graph, so  his  desire  for  perfection  and  his  penchant 
for  toil  have  kept  his  phonographs  supreme.  And 
his  labor  and  thought  never  have  been  expended 
for  the  monetary  benefits  that  he  might  derive 
therefrom.  Always  he  has  been  actuated  only  by 
the  desire  to  create  and  perfect.  It  is  the  man  be- 
hind the  Edison  organization  who  makes  it  supreme 
among  all  similar  organizations  and,  what  is  of 
greater  importance  to  dealers,  who  will  keep  it 
supreme. 


The  sacrifice  of  quality  to  quan- 
CheapneSS  tity    and    cheapness    never    has, 

and  never  will  be,  profitable 
either  to  manufacturer  or  retailer. 

Some  phonograph  dealers  have  fallen  for  some 
of  the  "phonographs"  that  are  being  retailed  at 
ridiculous  prices.  Thrown  together  without  any 
regard  for  quality,  inferior  in  many  respects  to 
even  a  reputable  talking-machine,  these  devices  can 
be  sold  for  little  or  nothing,  which,  incidentally, 
is  just  about  what  they  are  worth.  But  there  are 
many  gullible  people  in  the  world,  and  the  cheap 
companies  that  are  placing  their  "musical"  tin- 
ware on  the  market  undoubtedly  make  some  quick 
and  easy  sales. 

Dealers  who  are  at  all  interested  in  their  fu- 
tures, however,  should  look  to  the  past  in  order  to 
determine  the  attitude  that  they  should  take  toward 
such  trash.  How  many  cheap  "phonograph"  com- 
panies, starting  with  light  or  heavy  capitalizations 
and  with  great  splurges,  have  risen  up  and  col- 
lapsed— collapsed  just  like  their  cheap  products 
and  just  like  the  reputations  of  the  dealers  who 
handled  their  flimsy  goods.  There  is  the  point! 
Handling  cheap  goods  gives  you  a  cheap  reputa- 
tion and  this  will  cause  customers  to  shun  you  and 
make  it  difficult  for  you  to  do  a  profitable  busi- 
ness. As  the  representative  of  a  high-class  con- 
cern, however,  your  reputation  always  is  increas- 
ing and  your  sales  always  are  growing.  Where 
are  the  cheap  pianos,  low-grade  typewriters,  in- 
ferior small  musical  instruments,  or  other  products 
that  were  made  cheaply  to  sell  cheaply  in  past 
years?  If  you  can  answer  this  question  you  also 
will  have  the  answer  to  the  question  as  to  where 
the  dealers  are  who  handled  such  cheap  products. 
It  is  not  necessary  to  call  your  attention  to  the 
success  of  dealers  who  have  represented  reputable 
manufacturers  and  who  have  handled  high-grade 
products.  A  moment's  consideration  will  bring 
any  number  of  these  to  your  mind. 

We  appreciate  that  the  small  dealer  often  is 
tempted  by  the  glowing  prospectuses  of  fly-by- 
night  companies  that  are  organized  to  sell  goods 
rather  than  make  them,  but  a  little  consideration 
will  reveal  the  mockery  of  their  claims  and  the 
danger  of  an   alliance  with   any  of  them. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  JULY,  1916 


EDISON  FIELD  DAY 

THE  fifth  annual  Edison  field  day  was  held  at 
Olympic  Park,  Newark,  on  Saturday,  June  17. 

Olympic  Park  is  provided  with  an  ideal  athletic 
field  and  a  fine  program  of  sports  was  held  on  it. 
The  large  grandstand  was  crowded  with  spec- 
tators, who  watched  the  Edison  boys  compete  in  all 
kinds  of  legitimate  and  freak  contests.  They  also 
watched  the  Edison  girls,  who  were  there  in  force 
and  who  had  to  themselves  seven  out  of  the  twenty- 
seven  events  that  were  on  the  program.  Mr. 
Edison,  with  Mrs.  Edison  and  a  number  of  their 
friends,  sat  in  the  front  row  and  appeared  to  be  as 
enthusiastic  over  the  proceedings  as  any  of  the 
contestants.  He  frequently  applauded  a  victor  or 
otherwise  manifested  the  keenest  interest  in  the 
proceedings. 

Fair  time  was  made  in  the  races.  Duncan  Rich- 
ardson was  the  largest  individual  scorer  of  the  day. 
Entered  as  a  junior,  the  youngster  was  first  in  the 
100-yard  and  220-yard  dashes,  the  obstacle  race, 
and  potato  race.  Richardson  also  ran  anchor  for 
his  relay  team  in  the  880-yard  relay. 

The  Grand  Prix  Edison,  880-yard  Relay,  was 
won  by  Messrs.  Cruise,  Springer,  Ryan  and  Fel- 
lows, of  the  Phonograph  Works. 

Twenty-seven  events  were  contested  in.  Of  this 
number,  seven  were  closed  to  girls.  Miss  Olive 
Flaherty  was  the  most  conspicuous  in  winning  in 
this  set.  Miss  Flaherty  won  the  running  broad 
jump  and  the  potato  race,  and  was  third  in  the 
75-yard  dash.  Coupled  with  Miss  May  Farrell, 
she  also  won  the  three-legged  race. 

A  new  Edison  record  for  the  hop,  step  and  jump 
was  made  by  Timothy  Farrell,  who  jumped  a  dis- 
tance of  40  feet  3  inches.  Benny  Schenck,  all- 
around  champion  last  year,  performed  well  in  the 
senior  events.  Schenck  won  the  100-yard  dash  and 
the  220-yard  dash  and  was  second  in  the  half-mile, 
being  defeated  by  Tom  Roach.  Schenck,  coupled 
with  Schwoebel  in  the  three-legged  race,  easily  won 
another  gold  medal. 

Seymore  Coe  won  the  440-yard  dash  in  easy 
manner. 

Simon  P.  Gillis,  of  the  New  York  A.  C,  and  a 
member  of  the  Olympic  team  several  years  ago,  and 
now  an  Edison  employee,  was  the  star  of  the 
weight  events.  Gillis  won  the  12-pound  shot-put 
and  discus  throw.  In  an  exhibition  of  hammer 
throwing,  Gillis  hurled  the  iron  ball  236  feet,  which 
is  far  better  than  the  record.  The  throw,  however, 
did  not  count,  as,  in  turning,  he  stepped  outside  of 
the  circle. 

After  the  events  many  remained  to  enjoy  danc- 
ing and  the  other  pleasures  afforded  by  the  big 
amusement  park.  All  were  unanimous  in  declaring 
that  the  field  day  had  been  as  successful  and  enjoy- 
able as  any  ever  held  under  the  auspices  of  the 
organization. 


A  SIMPLE  MATTER  OF  PITCH 

IT  was  on  the  occasion  of  the  first  legitimate  con- 
cert about  to  be  given  in  the  opera  house  of 
Quarterburg,  says  The  Musical  Monitor.  The  rural 
stage  manager  was  as  nervous  as  a  debutante.  Few 
minutes  before  the  concert  began  he  rushed  into  the 
box  office   boiling  with   rage. 

"What's  wrong,  Jim?"  asked  the  owner  of  the 
playhouse.  "Well,  Mr.  Dawball,  I've  been  in  the 
show  business  for  fifteen  years,  and  helped  to  put 
on  everything  from  a  flea  circus  to  a  prize  fight, 
but  I  never  had  nobody  to  tell  me  that  I  don't  know 
my  business  and  you  can  bet-cher  life  that  I  am  not 
going   to,    neither." 

He  said  a  few  more  things  rather  explosive  in 
nature,  but  finally  the  proprietor  pacified  him 
somewhat. 

"You  can't  leave  us  in  a  lurch  now,  Jim.  Go 
and  make  the  best  of  it  with  them  there  musical 
freaks.     What's  wrong  with   them,    anyhow?" 

"It  started  in  with  lots  of  kicking  about  coosticks, 
and  I  never  heard  so  much  talk  about  a  thing  you 
can't  see,  can't  feel  and  can't  locate  anywhere. 
But  I  didn't  mind  that  so  much.  The  thing  that 
made  me  furious,  was  when  the  fiddling  lady  came 
along  and  after  tinkling  on  the  piano  one  or  two 
notes  she  told  me  that  the  piano  was  too  low.  I 
said  we  can  fix  that  in  a  jiffy.  She  didn't  want  to 
believe  it,  and  left  grumbling.  Then  I  called 
George,  had  him  lift  the  old  box,  and  placed  a  few 
blocks   under   it. 

"It  wasn't  five  minutes  and  back  comes  that  pesky 
fiddler  with  the  pianist.  He  banged  the  piano  a 
few  times.  Then,  without  looking  whether  I  kept 
my  word  or  not,  that  fiddler  comes  over  to  me  and 
has  the  nerve  to  tell  me  that  the  piano  is  just  as 
low  as  it  was  before  I  raised  it. 

"That  got  my  goat.  I  brought  out  a  couple  beams 
and  props,  chucked  them  in  front  of  the  piano,  and 
told    her    to    raise    the    damn    thing   to    the    ceiling. 

The   with   these    crazy   musical    cranks,    I    am 

through    with    them    for    good." 


LETTERS  FOR  DIGGING  UP 
PROSPECTS 

Many  Diamond  Amberola  dealers  are  located  in 
districts  where  newspaper  advertising  is  ineffective 
and  where  the  people  who  would  make  the  most 
desirable  prospects  are  difficult  to  reach.  Under 
such  conditions  a  series  of  form  letters  often  will 
serve  to  arouse  interest  in  the  Amberola — and  in- 
terest that  should  result  in  visits  to  your  store, 
requests  for  demonstrations,  and  sales,  or  at  least 
trials  in  the  home.  A  set  of  four  letters,  recently 
prepared  by  our  advertising  department  and  de- 
signed for  use  by  merchants  who  believe  that  such 
advertising  would  be  advantageous  to  them,  will 
be  sent  to  any  Amberola  dealer  upon  request. 


10  EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  JULY,  1916 


HOW'S  THIS  FOR  AN  ATTRACTIVE  AMBEROLA  DISPLAY? 

It  shows  a  corner  of  the  Amberola  department  of  The  Phonograph  Store,  Meadville,  Pa.,  which 
has  just  moved  into  new  quarters,  and  is  an  illustration  of  the  esteem  in  which  proprietor  Lewis 
Du  Yall  holds  the  Amberola  line.  Dealer  Du  Vail  also  handles  the  Edison  Disc  line  but  has  the  right 
idea  about  maintaining  a  separate  department  for  the  Amberola.  This  not  only  adds  dignity  to  the  line 
but  the  very  fact  that  the  dealer  thinks  enough  of  the  Amberola  to  have  a  distinct  department  for  it 
makes  a  most  favorable  impression  on  the  prospective  purchaser. 


How  Long  Do  You  Follow  Up  Prospects 


We  believe  that  many  of  our  dealers  become  discouraged  if  their  prospects  do  not 
become  purchasers   almost  as  soon   as   they  are  approached. 

Because  of  this,  we  would  like  to  know  how  long  some  of  our  dealers  work  on 
prospects.  We  recently  received  a  letter  in  which  casual  reference  was  made  to  a 
prospect  who  had  been  followed  up  for  a  year.  In  this  instance  the  person  in  question 
finally  bought  a  Diamond  Amberola  after  it  had  been  subjected  to  direct  competition 
with  three  of  the  most  expensive  talking-machines  that  are  being  marketed  at  the 
present  time. 

We  wonder  how  many  of  our  dealers  have  the  patience  to  follow  a  prospect  for  a 
year,  keeping  in  active  touch  with  him  all  the  time.  And  we  wonder  if  prospects  have 
been  followed  even  longer  than  this  and  sales  eventually  made.  We  believe  that  some 
information  on  this  question  would  be  very  interesting  to  the  majority  of  our  dealers 
and  we  would  appreciate  letters  containing  accounts  of  experiences  with  prospects  of 
various  types. 

It  was  Hathaway's  Sporting  Goods  Store  of  New  Bedford,  Mass.,  that  worked 
a  year  on  the  prospect  referred  to  above  and  the  Phonograph  Monthly  will  concede 
the  long-time  record  for  following-up  a  prospect  to  this  concern  until  some  other 
dealer  comes  along  with  a  better  one. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  JULY,  1916 


11 


Who's  Who  Among 
August  Blue 

WILL  A.  RHODES,  Jr.,  Tenor 

Will  A.  Rhodes,  Jr.,  whose  splendid 
tenor  voice  is  heard  to  advantage  in 
a  rendition  of  "Mary  of  Argyle,"  a 
famous  old  Scotch  song,  on  the 
August  Amberol  list,  is  an  Ameri- 
can concert  artist  of  wide  renown. 
He  specializes  in  concerts,  recitals 
and  oratorios,  but  has  appeared  in 
a  number  of  operatic  productions. 
At  the  present  time  Mr.  Rhodes  is 
connected  with  the  First  Presby- 
terian Church  of  Pittsburgh  in  the  capacity  of  tenor 
soloist.  His  church  wrork,  however,  does  not  con- 
fine him  closely  and  his  engagements  in  concert 
and  oratorio  work  are  numerous.  Among  the 
organizations  with  which  he  has  appeared  recently 
are  the  Pittsburgh  Festival  Orchestra,  Pittsburgh 
Male  Choir,  Irwin  Ladies'  Choral,  New  Brighton 
Choral,  Orpheus  Club  and  the  Geneva  College 
Choral. 

Charles  Wakefield  Cadman,  the  famous  American 
composer,  gave  Mr.  Rhodes  a  strong  endorsement 
when  he  wrote  the  following  letter  to  him: 

"I  want  to  thank  you  for  the  splendid  and 
musicianly  work  you  did  for  me  this  spring.  Every 
one  of  your  appearances  with  me  has  been  remark- 
ably successful  and  noteworthy,  and  I  could  not 
have  had  my  songs  interpreted  in  more  artistic 
fashion.  I  see  no  reason  why  your  singing  should 
not  win  for  you  many  engagements  in  all  parts  of 
the  country.  Real  tenors  are  scarce  as  hen's  teeth 
nowadays,  and  you  seem  to  fill  the  bill.  I  am  sure 
that  you  will  have  every  success.  If  I  can  further 
your  work  at  any  time,  do  not  hesitate  to  call 
on   me." 


ERNST  ALBERT  COUTURIER,  Cornet 

Ernst  Albert  Couturier,  who  is  con- 
ceded to  be  one  of  the  greatest  cor- 
net players  in  the  world,  was  born 
in  New  York  City  in  1869  of  French 
and  German  parentage,  and  when 
three  years  of  age  displayed  re- 
markable musical  talent.  He  imme- 
diately was  placed  under  the  guid- 
ance of  the  very  best  instructors  of 
New  York  and  Boston.  After  tak- 
ing a  thorough  course  of  piano  and 
violin  instruction — of  which  instruments  he  is  a 
complete  master — he  took  up  the  study  of  the  cornet 
at  the  age  of  twelve.  This  soon  became  his  favorite 
instrument  and  his  course  of  study  was  marked  by 
rapid  progress,  his  instructors  predicting  his  future 
one  of  the  most  brilliant  ever  enjoyed  by  a  cornet 
virtuoso.  He  played  under  the  renowned  Patrick 
Gilmore  in  "Gilmore's  Famous  Band,"  and  after 
the  death  of  the  founder  of  this  organization  suc- 
ceeded to  the  position  of  director.  For  seven  years 
he  directed  this  world-famous  concert  military  band, 
retiring  only  because  his  failing  eyesight  made  it 
impossible  for  him  to  fulfill  the  duties  required  by 
the  position  he  held  as  leader. 

As  a  thorough  artist  of  the  cornet  he  stands 
strictly  alone,  as  his  technic  is  unsurpassed  by  any 
cornetist  of  the  day,  performing  as  he  does  the 
most  difficult  numbers  ever  attempted. 


Edison  Artists  in  the 
Amberol  List 

A  fine  example  of  his  finished  work  may  be  heard 
in  his  rendition  of  the  Lullaby  from  "Jocelyn,"  an 
instrumental  specialty  included  in  the  latest  Blue 
Amberol   list. 

JOHN   F.  BURCKHARDT,  Bells 

John  F.  Burckhardt,  one  of  the  fore- 
most bell  soloists  in  the  country, 
owes  much  of  his  mastery  of  the 
instrument  to  his  study  of  the  piano, 
on  which  he  is  an  accomplished  per- 
former. The  keyboards  of  a  set  of 
bells  and  the  piano  are  identically 
the  same,  the  only  difference  be- 
tween the  instruments  lying  in  the 
manner  of  execution.  Having  gained 
familiarity  with  chords  and  other 
harmonic  combinations  by  his  piano  study  Mr. 
Burkhardt  is  capable  of  securing  many  unusual 
effects  on  the  other  less  complicated  instrument. 
The  ability  to  read  music  with  great  rapidity  was 
also  gained  from  his  study  of  the  piano,  and  this, 
combined  with  the  facility  to  execute  the  most  diffi- 
cult and  involved  passages,  has  made  him  pre- 
dominant  in   his   field. 

Mr.  Burckhardt  was  born  in  Newark,  X.  J.,  on 
March  17,  1879,  and  he  received  his  musical  train- 
ing in  this  country  under  Prof.  Frederick  Haber- 
sang.  For  twenty  years  he  has  been  a  prominent 
pianist  in  concert  and  theatre-orchestra  work  and 
he  has  played  both  piano  and  bells  in  many  of  the 
largest  orchestras  and  finest  theatres  in  this  country. 
He  now  is  pianist  and  bell  soloist  at  the  Edison 
Recording  Laboratory  and  his  work  there  has  con- 
tributed largely  to  the  excellence  of  many  Edison 
records. 

GLEN   ELLISON,  Baritone 

Born  in  Glasgow,  Scotland,  this 
talented  artist  studied  music  for 
five  years  at  the  London  Royal 
Academy,  where  he  won  a  scholar- 
ship and  eight  medals.  Although 
he  had  great  success  in  grand  opera 
both  in  England  and  Australia,  his 
inclination  led  him  into  lighter 
opera  and  he  was  a  musical  com- 
edy favorite  in  London  for  some 
time.  His  reputation  in  that  coun- 
try won  him  tempting  offers  from  vaudeville  pro- 
ducers in  this  country  and  he  has  appeared  in  the 
majority  of  the  high  class  variety  houses  from  New- 
York  to  San  Francisco,  appearing  in  the  East  on 
the  Keith  circuit  and  in  the  West  in  Orpheum 
houses.  He  has  made  many  Blue  Amberol  records 
and  all  of  them  have  attained  a  great  degree  of 
popularity.  On  the  August  list  he  is  represented  by 
"Sing  Us  a  Song  of  Bonny  Scotland,"  a  melodious 
and  appealing  song  that  he  renders  very  effectively. 


R.  S.  Irvine,  California  manager  for  the  Filers 
Music  Company,  which  handles  the  Amberola  line 
in  several  western  cities,  recently  presented  a  reed 
organ  to  the  United  Presbyterian  Church,  of  Stock- 
ton, Cal.,  of  which  he  was  a  member  at  one  time. 


12 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  JULY,  1916 


CREATING  A  SUMMER  DEMAND 
FOR  THE  AMBEROLA 

THERE  is  an  old  tradition  that  business  must 
slump  in  summer  and  that  it  is  impossible  to 
sell  anything  but  ice  during  the  warm  months. 
We  suspect  that  many  of  our  dealers  are  being 
deluded  by  this  old  tradition  and  are  losing  many 
sales  and  much  profit  as  a  result. 

We  have  an  idea  that  we  have  become  wise  to 
the  old  tradition  at  last,  and,  while  we  have  a 
due  reverence  for  things  that  are  old  and  vener- 
able, we  believe  that  it  is  high  time  that  the  im- 
pression that  the  warm  weather  handicaps  busi- 
ness should  be  abandoned.  Under  modern  con- 
ditions most  people  have  money  all  the  year  round 
and  spend  it  all  the  year  round,  so  why  should 
there  be  any  summer  slump?  Many  Diamond  Am- 
berolas  can  be  sold  during  the  spring  and  summer. 
However,  sales  cannot  be  made  in  summer  merely 
by  wishing.  You  cannot  relax  your  efforts  in  any 
way  and  expect  to  make  the  sales  that  you  make 
in  the  winter.  But,  by  directing  your  efforts  along 
the  right  lines,  you  can  make  many  sales  in  sum- 
mer that  otherwise  would   never  materialize. 

And  why  shouldn't  you?  Isn't  summer  the  very 
season  of  the  year  when  the  greatest  amount  of 
money  is  spent  for  amusement  and  for  luxuries? 
You  know  that  people  save  their  money  during 
winter  in  order  that  they  may  have  a  good  time 
when  summer  comes.  During  the  warm  months 
that  are  ahead  of  us  millions  of  dollars  will  be 
spent  for  vacations,  ice-cream,  baseball,  and  other 
things  that  are  considered  as  summer  necessities. 
When  you  give  the  question  a  little  consideration 
you  will  come  to  the  conclusion  that  the  Diamond 
Amberola  is  just  as  attractive  as  any  of  the  other 
things  for  which  people  spend  money  so  freely  dur- 
ing the  summer,  and  if  you  can  show  them  just 
where  and  how  this  is  so  you  will  get  a  good  slice 
of  the  money  that  is  being  saved  to  buy  amusement 
and  comfort  during  the  next  few  months.  In  cre- 
ating this  demand  you  must  bear  in  mind  that  you 
cannot  successfully  use  the  arguments  in  favor  of 
the  Diamond  Amberola  that  you  use  in  winter. 
You  have  been  advertising  and  selling  the  Am- 
berola on  its  merits  as  an  entertainer  inside  the 
house.  Now  reverse  your  argument  and  so  feature 
the  instrument  that  you  will  make  it  seem  indis- 
pensable outside  and  away  from  the  house;  on  the 
porch,  on  the  lawn  under  the  trees,  at  the  summer 
home,  in  camp,  etc. 

Every  form  of  publicity  that  you  use  should  be 
permeated  with  the  idea  that  the  Amberola  is  an 
essential  factor  to  the  enjoyment  of  summer  and 
greatly  enhances  the  enjoyment  of  vacation  time. 
Contrast  the  permanent  pleasure  that  a  phono- 
graph will  afford  with  the  fleeting  pleasures  that 
are    derived    from    other    forms    of    diversion    that 


absorb  so  much  money  in  summer.  Make  the 
Amberola  more  desirable  than  a  month's  trip  to 
the  seashore  or  mountains. 

You  often  have  wished  that  you  could  sell  as 
many  Diamond  Amberolas  in  the  summer  as  you 
do  in  winter.  You  can  if  you  defy  the  old  sum- 
mer slump  tradition  and  take  advantage  of  the 
opportunities  that  the  warm  season  brings. 


INSPECT  RETURNED  RECORDS 

EDISON  dealers  who  take  advantage  of  the 
record  return  allowance  can  assist  both  jobbers 
and  manufacturers  by  making  a  careful  inspection 
of  all  records  that  are  returned  for  credit.  All 
dealers  know  that  the  terms  of  the  agreement  un- 
der which  records  may  be  returned  provide  that 
no  cylinder  that  is  cracked,  broken,  worn,  etc.,  is 
returnable  under  the  return  allowance.  Despite 
this  fact,  the  factory  is  constantly  receiving  records 
which  have  been  damaged  in  use  or  handling. 

This  is  primarily  the  fault  of  the  dealers,  and 
secondarily  the  fault  of  the  jobbers.  No  record 
should  be  returned  to  the  jobber  under  the  return 
allowance  by  the  dealer  unless  it  is  in  perfect  con- 
dition, but,  at  the  same  time,  the  jobber  should 
inspect  the  records  that  come  to  him  before  he 
ships  them  to  the  factory.  Every  record  that  is 
returned  to  the  factory  is  inspected  and  faulty  rec- 
ords are  certain  to  be  discovered.  When  they  are 
found  they  are  returned,  all  such  shipments  being 
made  at  the  expense  of  jobber  or  dealer,  the  loss 
falling   eventually   upon   the   latter. 

For  this  reason  the  dealer  will  save  both  time 
and  money  by  making  a  careful  examination  of 
the  records  he  returns  for  credit  under  the  return 
allowance  and  determining  that  none  of  them  are 
in  a  damaged  condition. 


PHONOGRAPHIC  ODDS  AND   ENDS 

A  Philadelphia  surgeon  has  a  phonograph  played 
while  his  patients  are  being  given  an  anaesthetic 
and  when  they  are  recovering  sensibility  following 
an  operation.  The  music  is  provided  on  the  theory 
that  it  lessens  the  nerve  shocks  that  invariably  ac- 
company a  surgical  operation. 


From  1909  to  1914,  according  to  statistics  recently 
compiled,  the  output  of  phonographs  increased  49.4 
per  cent.  In  the  same  period  of  time  the  number 
of  pianos  of  all  kinds  manufactured  in  the  United 
States  decreased  10.6  per  cent. 


Phonograph  music  is  to  be  provided  for  the  in- 
mates of  death  cells  in  New  Jersey  in  order  to 
prevent  the  incessant  brooding  that  condemned  men 
suffer  from  so  acutely. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  JULY,  1916 


13 


Just  Jokes 


ART  FOR  ART'S  SAKE 

(Scene:  Police  Court,  New  York  City.) 

Judge — It  seems  pitiful  that  I  should  sentence 
you  for  an  attempt  of  suicide.  Will  you  promise  to 
start  life  anew  if  I  give  you  another  chance? 

Half  Drowned  Prisoner — Your  honor,  I  tried 
everything  under  the  sun,  but  I  can't  make  a  liv- 
ing at  anything. 

Judge — Have  you  ever  given  singing  lessons? 

Prisoner — That  is  one  thing  I  haven't  tackled 
yet. 

Judge,  with  fatherly  spirit — Here,  my  good  man, 
I  will  lend  you  $50.00.  Go  and  rent  a  studio  at 
Blarnegie  Hall,  rent  a  piano  by  the  month,  get 
seme  second  handed  music,  and  hang  out  your 
shingle.  I  am  sure  where  more  than  6,000  can  get 
enough  one  more  will  always  find  a  square  meal 
in  the  pot. 

A  month  later  the  professor  invites  the  judge 
to  Delmonico's  for  dinner  and  takes  him  home  in 
his  own  limousine. — The  Musical  Monitor. 


THAT  HYPNOTIZING  MAN 

At  the  symphony  concert — "Mamma,  why  does 
the  man  wave  his  stick?" 

"To  hypnotize  the   players,   my  child." 

"But  why  does  he  shake  his  head  and  bend  his 
knees?" 

"To  hypnotize  the  audience." — Musical  America. 


MUSICAL  MOURNING 

Child — Mother,  may  I  play  the  piano  a  while? 

Mother — Play  the  piano!  Why,  child,  your 
uncle  has  been  dead  only  a  week  and 

Child  (interrupting) — But  I'll  play  very  softly. 
Uncle  won't  hear  me  then. 

Mother — Oh,  very  well;  but  be  careful  to  use 
only  the  black  kevs. — Music  Trades. 


CAN  YOU  BEAT  IT? 

Pa — Do  you  know,  Bill,  that  my  son  recently 
played  "Annie  Laurie"  on  the  cornet  for  ten  hours? 

Uncle — Ah,  that's  nothing.  My  cousin  played 
"The   Stars   and   Stripes   Forever." — Music   Trades. 


ON  THE  FENCE 

"Are  you  asleep  or  awake?"  demanded  the  ir- 
ritated instructor  in  music  of  a  somewhat  inat- 
tentive pupil. 

"Neither;  I  am  only  neutral,"  was  the  reply. — 
Music  Trade  Review. 


SOME  BRASS 

She — I  can't  find  that  record  by  Sousa's  Band. 
Do  you  know  what  became  of  it? 

He — No.  I  guest  somebody  stole  a  march  on  us. 
— Music  Trades. 


A  FUTURIST 

Ambitious  Father — Son,  which  instrument  would 
you  like  to  study,  the  violin  or  the  piano? 

Boy,  dreaming  of  hookey — Daddy,  if  I  must  study 
music,  please  let  me  choose  the  phonograph. — The 
Musical  Monitor. 


NOT  QUALIFIED 

"Is  that  gentleman  a  musician?"  asked  the  in- 
quisitive Mrs.  Smith  of  the  elevator  boy  as  a  long- 
haired  individual   left  the   elevator. 

"No,  madam,"  was  the  response;  "he  ain't  no 
musician;  he's  a  singer." — Musical  America. 


BUT  IT  CAN  CRY 

Mrs.  Bacon — I  understand  that  Mrs.  Styles  took 
her  baby  to  the  opera. 

Mr.  Bacon — What  for,  I  wonder?  The  little 
thing  can't  talk  yet. — Yonkers  Statesman. 


PORTLAND,  ORE.,  DEALERS 
ORGANIZE 

Phonograph  dealers  of  Portland,  Ore.,  have  just 
organized  a  new  association  and  the  first  step  was 
to  agree  upon  the  interest  proposition,  with  the 
result  that  Portland  dealers  are  now  all  getting 
interest  on  all  of  their  phonograph  contracts.  The 
president  of  the  new  association  is  E.  B.  Hyatt,  of 
the  Hyatt  Talking  Machine  Company,  Amberola 
dealers,  and  Perry  Graves,  of  the  Graves  Music 
Company,  Amberola  dealers,  is  the  secretary- 
treasurer. 


AMBEROLA  INCREASING  IN 
POPULARITY 

That  the  Diamond  Amberola  and  Blue  Amberol 
records  are  increasing  in  popularity  every  day  is 
the  statement  of  William  A.  Schmidt,  manager  of 
the  Edison  Shop,  Milwaukee,  Wis.  "We  rind  a 
good  many  people  who  bought  Edisons  twelve  and 
fifteen  years  ago  who  want  new  instruments,  but 
refuse  to  hear  about  the  disc  styles.  The  cylinder 
phonographs  in  art  cabinet  styles  sell  almost  as 
well  as  the  disc,  and  consequently  we  are  doing  a 
land-office  business  in  records  all  the  time." 


14 


EDISON  PHONOCtRAPH  MONTHLY,  JULY,  1916 


New  Standard  of  Quality  Set  in  August 
Blue  Amberol  List 


ANEW  standard  of  quality  in  Blue  Amberol 
records  is  set  in  the  August  list  of  Blue 
Amberol  records  by  the  presentation  of  one  record 
that  was  made  by  a  trio  composed  of  three  of  the 
most  noted  singers  of  the  present  time.  The  selec- 
tion is  the  famous  "Praise  Ye,"  from  Verdi's 
"Atilla,"  and  the  singers  who  combined  to  make 
this  impressive  rendition  of  this  world-renowned 
and  universally  beloved  trio  are  Marie  Rappold, 
Karl  Jorn  and  Arthur  Middleton.  Solo  records  by 
any  one  of  these  singers  always  are  in  demand  and 
it  is  anticipated  that  the  record  in  which  these 
three  superb  voices  are  heard  will  be  unprecedented 
in    popularity. 

The  August  Amberol  list  includes  many  other 
records  that  are  potential  profit  producers  if  they 
are  advertised  properly  and  pushed  energetically. 
Every  dealer  knows  that  Hawaiian  music  has  cap- 
tured the  fancy  of  the  American  public  at  the 
present  time  and,  in  recognition  of  this,  the  list 
indues  the  Hilo  March,  a  Hawaiian  guitar  duet  by 
Helen  Louise  and  Palakiko  Ferreira.  This  is  a 
very  appealing  number  and  its  own  merits,  com- 
bined with  the  current  strong  demand  for  Ha- 
waiian music,  should  make  it  a  big  seller.  Among 
the  recent  popular  song  hits  that  are  on  the  list 
are  the  widely  known  "Are  You  Half  the  Man 
Your    Mother    Thought    You'd    Be?"    and    "Where 


Did  Robinson  Crusoe  Go  with  Friday  on  Saturday 
Night?"  the  great  Winter  Garden  hit  of  Al  Jolson. 
The  demand  for  both  of  these  numbers  is  strong 
and  many  sales  should  follow  their  announcement. 
"When  It's  Orange  Blossom  Time  in  Loveland" 
and  "Since  Mother  Goes  to  the  Movie  Shows"  are 
two  other  highly  popular  numbers  on  the   list. 

You  know  what  clear  and  snappy  records  the 
xylophone  makes.  Among  the  new  Amberol  selec- 
tions there  is  a  fox  trot,  the  Kangaroo  Hop,  that  is 
played  as  a  xylophone  solo  by  Lou  Chiha  "Frisco." 
It  is  a  number  that  will  have  an  irresistible  appeal 
to  every  dancer  who  hears  it,  because  nothing  quite 
like  it  ever  has  been  produced  before.  Other  dance 
numbers  on  the  list  are  "Setting  the  Pace"  and 
"Wake  Up,  America!  Medley,"  two  swingy  and 
melodious  one-steps.  The  solo  instrumental  num- 
bers include  Godard's  Lullaby  from  "Jocelyn," 
rendered  as  a  cornet  solo  by  Ernst  Albert  Coutu- 
rier, and  Wieniawski's  "Legende,"  played  on  the 
violin  by  Richard  Czerwonky.  Many  other  popu- 
lar and  classical  numbers  are  on  the  list  and  each 
one  of  them  has  merits  that  can  be  converted  into 
profits  by  using  proper  methods  of  exploitation. 

Dealers  in  Swedish  or  Danish  districts  will  be 
interested  in  the  Swedish  and  Danish  records  on 
the  August  list. 


BLUE  AMBEROL  RECORDS  FOR  AUGUST 

CONCERT 

28238  Praise   Ye— Attila,   Verdi,  Soprano,   tenor  and  baritone,  orchestra  accompaniment 

Marie  Rappold,   Karl  Jorn  and   Arthur  Middleton 

28239  Where'er  You  Walk— Semele,   Handel,  Tenor,  orch.  ace.  Redferne  Hollinshead 


SWEDISH  AND  DANISH  RECORDS 

9441  Swedish  Guard  March,  Lovander 

9442  National  Song  of  Denmark,   (King  Christian  Stood  Beside  the  Mast),    h 

9443  A  sa  rulla  vi  pa  Kuttingen,  Baritone,  orch.  ace. 


New   York  Military  Band 

New   York  Military  Band 

Chas.  G.  Widden 


2920 
2921 
2922 
2923 

2924 
2925 
2926 
2927 
2928 
2929 
2930 
2931 

2932 
2933 
2934 
2935 
2936 
2937 
2938 
2939 


REGULAR 
Since  Mother  Goes  to  Movie  Shows,  A.  Von  Til;er,  orch.  ace.  Billy  Murray 

Are  You  Half  the  Man  Your  Mother  Thought  You'd  Be?  De  Costa,  Tenor,  orch.  ace.  Walter  Van   Brunt 

First  Heart  Throbs,  Eilenberg,  Bells,  orch.  ace.  John  F.   Burckhardt 

When  It's  Orange  Blossom  Time  in  Loveland   (I'll  be  Waiting  at  the  Church  For  You)  Lange,  Tenor,  orch.  ace. 

George  Wilton  Ballard  and  Chorus 
Glen   Ellison 
Lou  Chiha   "Frisco" 
Will  A.  Rhodes,  Jr. 
Helen  Louise  and   Palakiko  Ferreira 
Sodero's  Band 
Ernst  Albert  Couturier 
Arthur  Fields 

Meyer,  Tenor,  orch.  ace. 

Billy  Murray  and  Chorus 

Richard   Czerwonky 

United   States  Marine  Band 

Armand  Vecsey  and  His  Hungarian  Orchestra 

George  Wilton  Ballard 

Lindas'   Society  Orchestra 

Jaudas'   Society  Orchestra 

Billy  Murray  and  Chorus 

Lester   Bernard 


Sing  Us  a  Song  of  Bonnie  Scotland,    Payne 

Kangaroo  Hop — Fox  Trot,  Morns,  Xylophone,  orch.  ace. 

Mary  of  Argyle,  Old  Scotch  Air,  Tenor,  orch.  ace. 

Hilo  March,  Hawaiian  Guitars 

Slidus  Trombonus  (A  Trombone  Comedy)  Lake 

Lullaby — Jocelyn,  Godard,  Cornet,  orch.  ace. 

What's  the  Use  of  Going  Home?  Monaco,  Baritone,  orch.  ace. 

Where  Did  Robinson  Crusoe  Go  with  Friday  on  Saturday  Night? 

Legende,   IVieniawski,  Violin,  Piano  ace.  by  Robert  Gayler 

True  to  the  Flag  March,  von  Blon 

Pretty  Edelweiss— Alone  at  Last,  l.ebar 

Letter  That  Never  Reached  Home,  Cottier,  Tenor,  orch.  ace. 

Setting  the  Pace — One-Step,  Smith,  for  Dancing 

Wake  Up,  America!  Medley— One-Step,  for  Dancing 

Johnny  Get  a  Girl,   Puck,  Tenor,  orch.  ace. 

The    Italian    Rosa.  Cotton  and  Long,  Recitation 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  JULY,  1916 


15 


RECORD  ORDERS  NOW  FILLED 
PROMPTLY 

THE  heavy  demand  for  all  classes  of  Blue 
Amberol  records  during  the  late  winter  and 
early  spring  overtaxed  the  capacity  of  the  manu- 
facturing department  to  such  an  extent  that  there 
was  some  delay  in  filling  some  of  the  large  orders 
sent  in  by  the  jobbers.  Inasmuch  as  the  jobbers 
could  not  secure  the  records  promptly,  it  was  im- 
possible for  them  to  supply  the  dealers  with  some 
numbers.  While  the  condition  was  one  that  was 
very  annoying  to  all  concerned,  it  was  caused  by 
conditions  that  could  not  be  foreseen  and  was  en- 
tirely unavoidable.  The  improvements  that  have 
been  made  in  the  Blue  Amberol  record,  together 
with  the  consistently  high  quality  of  the  selections 
that  are  being  recorded  for  the  Amberol  trade, 
created  a  strong  demand  around  the  first  of  the 
year,  and  during  January  and  February  excep- 
tionally large  orders  were  received  from  many 
parts  of  the  country. 

As  a  result  of  the  rapid  developments  made  in 
increasing  the  capacity  of  the  various  manufac- 
turing departments  through  which  the  records  pass, 
all  orders  can  now  be  filled  promptly  and,  in 
practically   all   cases,   completely. 


SPECIAL  NOTICE 

It  has  just  been  discovered  that  Blue  Amberol 
Record  No.  1918,  Lalani  Hula's  Hawaii,  by  Toots 
Paka's  Hawaiians,  was  omitted  from  the  cut-out 
list  issued  in  the  spring  of  1915.  It  has  been  out 
of  the  regular  catalog  since  that  time. 


EDISON  GLEE  CLUB   PRESENTS 
MUSICAL  COMEDY 

On  May  19  the  members  of  the  Edison  Glee  Club 
presented  a  musical  comedy  in  the  Columbus  Thea- 
tre in  Orange,  N.  J.,  before  a  large  and  apprecia- 
tive audience.  It  was  not  one  of  those  old  and 
worn-out  comedies  that  everybody  has  seen  and 
heard,  but  it  was  made  to  order  for  the  one  pre- 
sentation and  it  was  "made  by  Edisonians,"  being 
written,   staged   and   presented   by  Edison  talent. 

All  the  latest  popular  songs  were  sung  and  a 
number  of  dances,  that  may  become  popular  in  the 
future,  were  given.  Among  the  vocal  selections 
was  an  original  number,  "On  My  Edison  Phono- 
graph," a  song  that  was  one  of  the  hits  of  the 
evening.  At  the  close  of  the  entertainment  a 
dancing  party  was  held  in  the  ball  room  of  the 
theatre  and  the  festivities  continued  until  a  late 
hour,  evervbodv  present  having  a  highly  enjoy- 
able time. 


Jobbers  of  Edison  Amberola  Phonographs 
and  Blue  Amberol  Records 


ALABAMA 

Birmingham— Talking  Machine  Co. 

CALIFORNIA 
Los  Angeles — Diamond    Disc    Distribu- 
ting Co. 
San  Francisco — Pacific  Phonograph  Co. 

COLORADO 
Denver — Denvjr  Dry  Goods  Co. 
Hext  Music  Co. 

CONNECTICUT 

New  Haven — Pardee-Ellenberger  Co. 

GEORGIA 
Atlanta — Atlanta  Phonograph  Co. 

Phonographs,  Inc. 
Waycross — Youmans  Jewelry  Co. 

ILLINOIS 
Chicago — Babson  Bros. 

James  I.  Lyons. 

The  Phonograph  Co. 
Peoria — Peoria  Phonograph  Co. 
Quincy — Oi-incy  Phonograph  Co. 

INDIANA 

Indianapolis — Kipp  Phonograph  Co. 

IOWA 

Des  Moines — Harger  &  Blish 
Sioux  City — Harger  &  Blish. 

LOUISIANA 
New  Orleans — Diamond  Music  Co.,  Inc. 

MARYLAND 
Baltimore — E.  F.  Droop  &  Sons  Co. 


MASSACHUSETTS 
Boston— Iver-  Johnson  Sporting  Goods  Co. 

Pardee-Ellenberger  Co. 
Lowell — Thomas  Wardell. 

MICHIGAN 

Detroit — Phonograph  Co.  of  Detroit. 

MINNESOTA 
Minneapolis — Laurence  H.  Lucker. 
St.  Paul— W.  J.  Dyer  &  Bro. 

MISSOURI 

Kansas  City — The  Phonograph  Co. 
St.  Louis — Silverstone  Music  Co. 

MONTANA 

Helena — Montana  Phonograph  Co. 

NEBRASKA 
Omaha — Shultz  Bros. 

NEW  JERSEY 
Paterson — James  K.  O'Dea. 

NEW  YORK 

Albany — American  Phonograph  Co. 
Buffalo — W.  D.  Andrews. 

Neal,  Clark  &  Neal  Co. 
Elmira — Elmira  Arms  Co. 
N.  Y.  City— I.  Davega,  Jr.,  Inc. 

J.  F.  Blackman  &  Son 
Phonograph  Corp.  of 
Manhattan 
Rochester — Talking  Machine  Co. 
Syracuse — Frank  E.  Bolway  &  Son,  Inc. 

W.  D.  Andrews  Co. 
Utica — Arthur  F.  Ferriss. 
William  Harrison. 


OHIO 
Cincinnati — -The  Phonograph  Co. 
Cleveland — The  Phonograph  Co. 

OREGON 
Portland— Pacific  Phonograph   Co 

PENNSYLVANIA 
Philadelphia — Girard  Phonograph  Co. 
Pittsburgh — Buehn  Phonograph  Co. 
Scranton — Ackerman  &  Co. 
Williamsport — W.  A.  Myers. 

RHODE  ISLAND 
Providence — J.  A.  Foster  Co. 

TEXAS 
Dallas — Texas-Oklahoma  Phonog.  Co. 
El  Paso— El  Paso  Phonograph  Co.,  Inc. 

UTAH 
Ogden — Proudfit  Sporting  Goods  Co. 
Salt  Lake  City — Consolidated  Music  Co. 

VERMONT 
Burlington — American  Phonograph  Co. 

VIRGINIA 
Richmond — C.  B.  Haynes  &  Co. 

WASHINGTON 
Seattle— Pacific  Phonograph  Co.,  N.  W. 
Spokane — Pacific  Phonograph  Co.,  N.  W. 

WISCONSIN 
Milwaukee — The  Phonograph  Co. 

CANADA 
Calgary— R.    S.    Williams    &    Sons    Co., 

Ltd. 
Montreal — R.  S.  Williams  &  Sons  Co., 

Ltd. 
St.  John— W.  H.  Thorne  &  Co.,  Ltd. 
Toronto — R.  S.  Williams  &  Sons  Co.,  Ltd  . 
Vancouver — Kent  Piano  Co.,  Ltd. 
Winnipeg — Babson  Bros. 

R.   S.   Williams  &  Sons  Co.,  Ltd. 


These  Ads  Mean  Profits  for  Dealers  Who  Make  Use  of  Them 

TWO  strong  sales  arguments  are  presented  in  the  ad  copy  that  is  inserted  below  for 
the  benefit  of  enterprising  Amberola  dealers.  The  ads  point  out  specific  features 
in  which  the  Edison  Diamond  Amberola  excells.  Either  one  of  the  ads  can  be  used 
with  good  results  and,  needless  to  say,  the  use  of  both  of  them  should  prove  effective. 
By  adopting  them  in  their  present  form,  or  by  modifying  them  to  suit  local  conditions, 
dealers  can  spread  the  Amberola  message  in  their  neighborhood  and  profit  by  the  sales 
that  must  follow  when  people  become  acquainted  with  the  merits  of  the  Diamond  Amberola 
and  Blue  Amberol  records. 

You  can  secure  the  electros  used  in  the  ads  by  addressing  Thomas  A.  Edison,  Inc., 
Advertising  Department,  Orange,  N.  J.     Order  by  number  only. 


50c  or  75c  Buys  Records  of  the  World's 
Greatest  Artists 

You  do  not  have  to  pay  three  or  four  dollars  for 
phonographic  selections  by  great  singers  or  instru- 
mentalists if  you  have  an  S5£ 

Edison  Diamond  Amberola 

Diamond  Amberolas  are  $30,  $50  or  $75  for  the 
best  model.  With  Blue  Amberol  Records  at  50c 
or  75c,  the  Edison  Diamond  Amberola  is  a  most 
economical  investment.  Furthermore,  there  are  no 
needles  to  change  and  Blue  Amberol  records  are 
practically  unbreakable  and  unwearable. 

AS   A   MUSICAL   INSTRUMENT    THE    EDISON 
(Electro  No  783)         DIAMOND  AMBEROLA  IS  SUPERIOR  IN  EVERY 
WAY  TO  THE  MOST  EXPENSIVE  "TALKING  MACHINE." 

Come  In  and  Let  Us  Prove  This. 

(Dealer's  Name  and  Address) 


(ELECTRO  N  o.  783) 


Avoid  the  Needle  Nuisance— Buy  An  Edison  Diamond  Amberola 

You  cannot  realize  all  the  needle 
nuisance  means  unless  you  have 
had  experience  with  an  out-of-date 
needle  -  type  "talking  -  machine." 

No  needles  on  hand  when  you  want  them  the 
most;  a  continual  outlay  of  money  for  new 
needles;  the  bother  of  changing  them  after  each 
selection;  the  ruination  of  costly  records  by  the 
use    of    worn    needles;    the  danger  of   children 


(ELECTRO  No.  425) 
MODEL  50 
PRICE  $50 


(ELECTRO  No.  412) 
MODEL  33 
PRICE  $30 


swallowing    them    or    stepping   on    them,   with  perhaps   serious    con- 
sequences; these  are  only  a  few  of  the  troubles  of  owners  of  needle-type  "talking-machines." 

THE  AMBEROLA  NOT  ONLY  ELIMINATES  THE  NEEDLE  NUISANCE  BUT  IS  FAR  SUPERIOR  AS 
A  MUSICAL  INSTRUMENT  TO  THE  MOST  EXPENSIVE  "TALKING  MACHINES."  WE  REQUEST 
AN  OPPORTUNITY  TO  PROVE  THIS  TO  YOU. 

(Dealer's  Name  and  Address) 


W*  EDISON 
PHONOGRAPH 

MONTHLY 


VOL.    XIV 


AUGUST,  1916 


NO.  8 


GIUSEPPE  CREATORE 

Magnetic  Band  Leader 

(See  Page  ij) 


Amberola  Co-operation 

DIAMOND   AMBEROLA   sales   have  been  increasing  for  some  time 
and  every  month  sees  many  more  dealers  taking  on  the  Amberola 
line,  a  good  proportion  of  which  are  Edison  disc  dealers  who  realize 
that  they  must  carry  the  Diamond  Amberola  and  Blue  Amberol  Records  to 
meet  the  increasing  demand  for  this  merchandise. 

What  have  you  been  doing  to  increase  Amberola  sales? 

Have  you  been  using  the  cuts  we  supply  for  advertising  in  newspapers, 
programs,  etc.?  Do  you  use  the  lantern  slides  we  supply?  Do  you  display 
the  instrument  and  record  hangers  to  the  best  advantage?  Did  you  get 
from  your  jobber  a  supply  of  that  attractive  leaflet  illustrated  in  the  Phono- 
graph Monthly  for  May,  and  did  you  send  them  out  to  a  good  live  list? 
Have  you  sent  for  those  letters  to  stir  up  prospects,  referred  to  in  our 
July  issue,  and  the  letters  for  stirring  up  sluggish  record  buyers,  mentioned 
in  our  May  issue?  And  are  you  vigorously  following  up  this  advertising? 
If  not,  why  not? 

Now,  in  addition  to  the  foregoing,  we  are  issuing  new  hangers,  leaflets, 
handbills,  etc.,  with  more  new  forms  to  come,  as  mentioned  on  other  pages 
of  this  issue.  You  cannot  expect  to  send  out  these  forms  and  have  people 
walk  into  your  store  and  immediately  clean  you  out  of  stock  without  your 
moving  a  finger — even  though  one  dealer  did  sell  six  Amberolas  in  one  day 
as  a  result  of  handbill  circularizing,  as  noted  elsewhere  in  this  issue.  Such 
things  do  not  happen  every  day  but  the  best  proof  that  IT  CAN  BE  DONE 
is  the  fact  that  IT  HAS  BEEN  DONE.  What  this  dealer  did  YOU  can 
do  with  hard,  conscientious  work,  and  what  is  even  better  you  can  create 
a  normal,  ever  increasing  demand  for  the  Amberola  and  Blue  Amberol 
records. 

W7e  are  furnishing  the  material.  We  are  doing  our  part.  Will  you  do 
yours?  Will  you  send  to  your  jobber  for  a  supply  of  each  form  as  it  is 
issued  and  see  that  they  get  into  the  hands  of  REAL  prospects?  Then  if 
you  follow  them  up  with  the  persistency  that  wins,  you  actually  will  feel 
the  jump  in  your  sales. 


The  Edison 
Phonograph  Monthly 


Volume  XIV 


AUGUST,  1916 


Number  8 


Fair  Time  Is  Coming — Get  Ready 


IN  a  recent  bulletin  we  called  your  attention  to 
the  approach  of  the  fair  and  carnival  season  and 
urged  you  to  take  advantage  of  the  opportunities 
afforded  by  these  annual  exhibitions  to  push  the 
sale  of  Amberolas  and  Blue  Amberol  Records. 

Do  not  overlook  this  opportunity  to  place  the 
Amberola  on  exhibition  before  the  thousands  of 
visitors  that  always  gather  at  a  fair  from  near  and 
far.  As  we  remarked  in  our  bulletin,  "If  you  never 
have  another  exhibit  as  long  as  you  live,  have  one 
this  year!"  Why?  Because  the  opportunity  was 
never  more  golden.  With  prosperity  in  practically 
every  corner  of  the  country,  times  were  never  more 
prosperous.  The  people  of  this  great  country  never 
had  more  money  to  spend  on — we  were  going  to 
say  "luxuries,"  but  in  the  modern  home  the  Diamond 
Amberola  is  really  a  necessity. 

Rural  fairs  offer  an  excellent  way  to  advertise 
the  Amberola  line  because  the  Amberola  type  of 
phonograph  is  particularly  popular  with  dwellers 
in  small  towns  and  country  districts  who  seem  to 
be  keener  even  than  city  folks  in  appreciating  just 
what  the  name  Edison  on  a  phonograph  means.  To 
them  it  is  the  greatest  name  of  this  age  and  they 
seem  to  understand  that  its  appearance  on  a  phono- 
graph is  an  absolute  guarantee  of  superiority. 

When  you  plan  your  exhibit  be  sure  to  have 
some  feature  that  will  attract  the  attention  of  the 
passer-by.  Just  playing  the  Amberola  is  a  good 
thing  in  itself  but  why  not  try  having  enough  space 
for  a  selected  couple  to  go  through  the  fox-trot,  the 
one-step,  etc.,  to  music  furnished  by  the  Amberola. 
In  this  way  you  would  appeal  to  the  eye  as  well 
as  to  the   ear. 

An  important  point  to  remember  is  to  have  your 
exhibit  located  as  far  as  possible  from  noisy  ex- 
hibits. And  don't  forget  the  attachment  for  playing 
Blue  Amberol  records  on  old-style  instruments. 
Hundreds  of  thousands  of  these  old  instruments 
were  sold  and  many  of  them  already  have  been 
equipped  with  the  four-minute  attachment,  but  there 
are  still  thousands  of  owners  who  would  be  glad 
to  get  renewed  pleasure  from  their  two-minute  in- 
struments by  having  them  put  in  shape  to  play 
Blue  Amberol  records.  Try  to  get  hold  of  one  of 
these   old   phonographs   to   demonstrate   the   attach- 


ment and  mention  it  to  every  one  to  whom  you 
speak.  You  will  be  surprised  to  find  how  many 
are  owners  of  old-style  instruments  and  who  will 
be  interested  in  the  attachment. 

If  you  have  an  exhibit  and  do  not  make  even  one 
sale,  which  isn't  likely,  you  will  gather  enough 
material  in  the  form  of  prospects  to  keep  you  busy 
all  through  the  winter,  provided  you  inject  some 
real  "pep"  into  your  method  of  presentation. 

Above  all  things,  don't  neglect  to  get  the  name 
of  every  person  who  displays  the  slightest  interest 
in  the  Amberola,  for  you  never  can  tell  what  pros- 
pect is  going  to  turn  into  a  sale.  It  frequently  is 
the  seedy  individual  with  nothing  much  to  say  who 
buys  and  pays  cash,  while  the  spruced  up  individual 
who  talks  a  lot  but  says  little  isn't  worth  a  hand- 
bill.   

SOLD  BY  STRATEGY 

WHAT  a  home  demonstration  can  accomplish 
in  the  way  of  selling  an  Amberola  is  well 
illustrated  by  an  incident  related  in  a  letter  received 
recently  from  W.  E.  Bailey,  an  energetic  and  suc- 
cessful dealer  located  at  Grand  Ledge,  Mich.  Mr. 
Bailey  had  one  "put  over  on  him"  by  a  brother 
dealer  but  he  did  not  mind  it  because  he  admired 
the  nerve  and  strategy  of  his  competitor  and  because 
he  learned  a  new  stunt  in  Amberola  salesmanship. 
And  he  is  keeping  an  eye  on  said  competitor  and 
some  day  he  is  going  to  surprise  him  by  turning 
a  trick  that  will  be  just  as  clever  and  effective  as 
the  one  turned  on  him. 

"Your  July  Monthly  received  and  every  word 
read  and  enjoyed,"  writes  Mr.  Bailey.  "I  have 
been  too  busy  to  write  until  now.  I  will  say  right 
in  the  beginning  that  business  is  better  now  than 
last  winter  for  the  reason  that  people  are  beginning 
to  know  what  the  Amberola  line  is. 

"Below  is  a  stunt  that  a  brother  dealer  pulled 
off  on  me.  It  certainly  worked  all  right  and  I  am 
going  to  hand  Mr.  Dealer  a  cigar  when  I  meet 
him. 

"This  dealer  lives  ten  miles  from  Grand  Ledge. 
I  have  a  friend  I  had  been  trying  to  sell  a  phono- 
graph for  eight  years  but  could  not  get  him  to  con- 
sent to  let  me  leave  one  with  him.     My  competitor 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  AUGUST,  1916 


happened  by  my  friend's  house  just  in  the  age  of  the 
evening  and  asked  him  if  he  knew  Mr.  Comstock. 
My  friend  told  him  that  no  such  person  lived  in  the 
vicinity  and  then  my  competitor,  who  was  a 
stranger  to  my  friend,  said  he  must  have  the  name 
wrong  and  asked  permission  to  leave  a  phonograph 
in  the  house  over  night.  This  was  granted  and 
he  took  the  instrument  into  the  house  and  set  it  up 
and  showed  the  lady  how  to  run  it.  The  next 
day  he  called  for  it  but  my  friend  had  decided  to 
keep  it,  together  with  thirty  records.  So  my  com- 
petitor told  them  he  would  get  another  machine  for 
Mr.  Comstock,  a  person  who  never  existed  except 
in  his  imagination. 

"When  I  heard  about  the  deal  it  made  me  laugh 
to  think  how  easily  it  had  been  put  over  me." 


DOES  ADVERTISING  PAY? 
TRY  THIS 

WOULD  you  believe  us  if  we  told  you  that  a 
certain  dealer  out  in  Minnesota  sold  six 
Amberolas  on  one  Saturday  afternoon  as  a  result 
of  circularizing  with  a  handbill?  Whether  you 
would   or  not,   it's  true. 

An    exceptional    case?      Even    granting   this,    you 
cannot  get  away  from  the  fact  that  it  shows  what 


WHILE  YOU  ARE  SHOPPING  COME  TO 


AND  HEAR  THE 

NEW  EDISON 

DIAMOND 

AMBEROLA 

"The  World's  Universal  Musical  Instrument" 


Listen  to  the  latest  popular  songs  of  the 
day,  hear  the  new  dance  records,  listen  to 
the  new  band  selections,  some  fine  vaude- 
ville records  too  t 

Bring  along  your  friends,  make  yourself 
at  home,  check  your  bundles  if  you  wish, 
use  our  telephone.  Stay  as  long  as  you 
desire.    No  obligations  whatsoever. 

YOU  WILL  BE  REFRESHED  BY  THIS 
DELIGHTFUL  MUSIC. 


Will  you  come? 


time  to  interest  rural  residents  in  the  Amberola 
was  when  they  were  in  town  and,  as  more  came  to 
town  on  Saturdays  than  any  other  day,  he  figured 
that  the  time  to  get  them  to  come  to  his  store  was 
on  that  day.  So  he  had  some  handbill  invitations 
printed,  then  hired  a  boy  to  distribute  them  among 
the  farmers  as  they  came  into  town.  The  results 
of  one  Saturday  afternoon  alone  were  as  stated 
above. 

Now,  we  have  prepared  an  invitation  handbill 
similar  to  the  one  about  which  we  have  just  told 
you,  and  a  reproduction  of  which  is  shown  here- 
with. Get  after  your  jobber  right  aivay  and  tell 
him  you  want  a  supply  of  these.  Then  hire  a 
school  boy  for  fifteen  or  twenty  cents  to  distribute 
them  among  the  out-of-towners  who  come  in  to  do 
their  Saturday  shopping.  If  you  don't  get  any  re- 
sults the  first  Saturday,  try  it  again,  and  still 
again.  The  cost  to  you  would  be  so  small  that  one 
sale  would  simply  swallow  it. 


can   be  done  by   a    live-wire  who  takes   advantage 
of  circumstances.     This  dealer  figured  that  the  best 


FOLLOWED  PROSPECT  TEN  YEARS 
BEFORE  SELLING  HIM 

DO  you  think  it  is  worth  while  to  keep  track 
of  a  prospect  for  ten  years? 

Lewis  G.  DuVall,  of  Meadville,  Pa.,  does  because 
his  experience  has  taught  him  in  many  cases  that 
sales  can  be  made  only  after  years  of  effort. 

"I  am  not  strong  on  writing  articles  for  news- 
papers or  magazines,"  he  writes,  "but  after  reading 
your  article  on  'How  Long  Do  You  Follow  Up 
Prospects,'  in  the  Edison  Phonograph  Monthly 
for  July,  I  could  not  resist  the  temptation  to  write 
you  on  this  subject — a  subject  that  is  of  vital 
importance  and  of  much  interest  to  all  dealers. 

"I  might  start  out  by  asking:  'How  long  should 
a  dealer  follow  his  prospects  before  giving  them 
up?'  My  answer  to  that  would  be:  'Never  give  up 
until  they  have  bought  an  instrument.  In  case  the\ 
buy  anything  but  an  Edison  phonograph  I  still 
would  keep  in  touch  with  them  for  they  never  will 
be   satisfied   until   they   own   an   Edison.' 

"I  know  one  man  by  the  name  of  J.  Lee  Johnson 
with  whom  T  kept  in  touch  and  to  whom  I  had  tried 
to  sell  a  phonograph  since  I  started  in  business  al- 
most ten  years  ago.  Did  it  pay  me  to  follow  him 
up?  You  bet  it  did!  I  sold  him  an  Edison  last 
spring  and  a  nice  assortment  of  records  with  it. 

"I  could  give  you  the  names  of  many  prospects 
that  I  have  been  working  on  from  a  few  weeks  to 
several  years.  It  took  me  about  three  years  to  sell 
a  fine  Edison  to  Hon.  J.  J.  Henderson,  a  judge  of 
the  Superior  Court  of  Pennsylvania.  It  required  a 
lot  of  effort,  too,  because  he  was  in  touch  with  many 
big  dealers  in   large  cities. 

"There  is  only  one  way  to  follow  prospects.  That 
is  never  to  get  discouraged  and  never  give  up 
until  your  prospect  has  bought." 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  AUGUST,  1916 


Not  all  the  attractive  Amberola  stores  and  systematically  kept  record  stocks  are  in  the  United  States  proper, 
as  evidenced  by  the  above  illustration.  This  shows  the  interior  of  the  establishment  of  C.  Frederiksen,  Edison 
dealer  at  San  Juan,  Porto  Rico,  who  sets  a  good  example  for  some  dealers  here  in  the  United  States,  who  fail  to 
appreciate  the  sales  value  of  a  neat,  attractive  store  and  a  complete  stock  of  records  so  arranged  that  they  know- 
where  to  get  what  they  want  when  they  want  it,  and  can  readily  tell  when  the  stock  on  certain  numbers  is  running 
ow  so  thev  can  re-order  in  timelv  season. 


NEW  AMBEROLA  DEALERS 

DEALERS  in  all  parts  of  the  United  States  and 
Canada  are  feeling  the  increasing  demand 
for  Edison  Diamond  Amberolas  and  Blue  Amberol 
records  and  are  securing  franchises  permitting  them 
to  deal  in  the  Amberola   line. 

Many  new  Amberola  stores  or  departments  have 
been  opened  since  the  first  of  the  year  and  most  of 
these  already  are  doing  an  active  business  right 
in  the  middle  of  the  summer  season. 

During  the  past  month  twenty-six  Amberola 
franchises  were  granted.  Eight  of  these  were  to 
merchants  who  will  handle  the  Amberola  line  ex- 
clusively and  eleven  of  them  were  to  combination 
dealers.  The  remaining  seven  were  to  Edison  disc 
dealers  who  realized  that  their  line  of  instruments 
was  not  complete  without  the  Amberola. 


EDISON    TORONTO   JOBBER    BUYS 
SOME  VALUABLE  VIOLINS 

R.  S.  Williams,  head  of  R.  S.  Williams  &  Sons 
Co.,  Ltd.,  Edison  jobbers  at  Toronto,  Canada,  is 
greatly  interested  in  high-class  violins  and  recently 
he  purchased  a  lot  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  of  these 


instruments  that  were  made  by  Job  Ardern,  an 
eccentric  Englishman  who  spent  his  life  in  making 
violins.  He  produced,  in  all,  about  five  hundred 
instruments  and  not  one  of  them  was  sold  until 
after  his  death. 

Another  recent  transaction  of  Mr.  Williams  that 
attracted  the  attention  of  violinists  and  dealers  in 
these  instruments  was  the  sale  of  a  $5,000  Stradi- 
varius   to   Karl   Ondricek,   the   noted   violinist. 


OLD  EDISON  PHONOGRAPH 
ATTRACTS  CROWDS 

The  twenty-third  experimental  phonograph  con- 
structed by  Thomas  A.  Edison  is  being  exhibited 
in  the  display  window  of  the  Stone  Piano  Com- 
pany of  Grand  Forks,  N.  D.,  where  it  is  attracting 
the  attention  of  large  numbers  of  people. 

The  instrument  was  lent  for  exhibition  pur- 
poses by  Thomas  A.  Edison,  Inc. 


Make  your  "NEWSDAY"  contribution  a  business 
obligation  and  take  care  to  fulfill  it. — See  page  8. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  AUGUST,  1916 


KNOW  YOUR  GOODS— KNOW 
YOUR  CUSTOMERS 

OUR  system  here  is  to  play  over  every  new 
title  that  comes  in,"  said  a  Montreal  dealer 
recently,  in  discussing  some  business  ideas,  accord- 
ing to  the  Talking  Machine  World.  "Not  only  do 
we  try  to  get  a  definite  idea  of  the  music  itself,  but 
of  the  sentiment  of  the  selection,  the  record  of  the 
artist  and  a  knowledge  of  the  composer.  We  also 
endeavor  to  fix  in  our  minds  the  names  of  similar 
selections  or  recordings  by  the  same  artist. 

"We  always  keep  a  memorandum  of  the  record 
numbers  that  a  customer  selects  and  our  experience 
is  that  the  mere  act  of  tabulating  the  number  on  a 
card  index  fixes  in  the  memory  the  particular  tastes 
of  the  customer.  Any  one  can  realize  the  advantage 
it  is  to  know  the  musical  temperament  or  prefer- 
ences of  a  customer. 

"Many  customers  request  us  to  help  them  make 
selections.  This  requires  an  intimate  knowledge  of 
the  record  stock  as  well  as  of  customers,  and  we 
know  of  regular  customers  that  have  been  de- 
veloped from  mere  chance  callers  by  reason  of  our 
conscientiously  helping  them  to  make  a  wise  choice. 

"We  do  not  believe  it  is  good  policy  to  endeavor 
to  sell  a  customer  more  records  than  he  or  she 
request.  That  is  to  say,  as  a  general  policy,  but 
there  are  the  usual  exceptions.  One  who  studies  his 
customers  soon  learns  to  know  the  man  that  will 
resent  your  trying  to  sell  him  more  than  he  wants 
and  one  also  soon  learns  to  know  the  man  who  will 
resent  your  not  trying  to  sell  him  more  than  he 
asks  for. 

"In  a  broad  way,  the  dealer  who  wishes  to  build 
up  a  successful  record  trade  must  be  prepared  to 
give  his  customers  more  than  records  for  their 
money.  He  must  give  them  service  that  can  only 
be  given  by  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  goods  and 
of  the  customers." 


MAKE  FRIENDS  AND  YOU  MAKE 
CUSTOMERS 

The  strongest  bond  in  the  business  world,  as 
well  as  in  the  world  of  society,  is  friendship. 

You  often  can  win  the  friendship  of  a  customer 
by  taking  a  genuine  interest  in  him  and  his  wants. 
If  you  succeed  in  winning  his  regard  you  have 
added  to  your  patrons  a  person  who  will  go  out  of 
his  way  to  deal  with  you. 

It  is  not  difficult  for  a  dealer  to  make  friends  of 
his  customers.  If  he  prefers  a  classic,  talk  classical 
music  with  him  and  do  not  make  the  mistake  of 
attempting  to  sell  him  a  rag-time  record.  If  your 
customer  wants  rag-time,  talk  rag-time  with  him. 
Also  discuss  the  newest  songs  and  the  latest  dances. 
By  adapting  your  conversation  and  sympathies  to 
the  type  of  person  before  you,  you  can  soon   make 


him    like    you    and    once    this    is    established    it    is 
fairly  certain  to  mean  future  business  for  you. 

What  makes  it  easy  for  a  dealer  to  make  a  friend 
of  a  customer  lies  in  the  fact  that  a  topic  for  dis- 
cussion is  already  at  hand.  Both  are  certainly  in- 
terested in  the  phonograph  and  records  and  these 
subjects,  with  the  general  subject  of  music  added 
to  them,  will  afford  unlimited  conversational  mate- 
rial. Talk  with  your  customer,  and  then  talk  some 
more,  until  you  start  him  talking.  Then  be  careful 
to  listen  while  he  talks  because  every  word  he 
utters  will  give  you  an  insight  into  his  character 
and  will  give  you  more  information  that  you  can 
use  in  winning  his  friendship. 


NEW  USE  FOR  PHONOGRAPH 
AT  MOVIES 

The  phonograph  provides  music  during  intermis- 
sions in  a  great  many  motion  picture  houses,  but  its 
practical  possibilities  in  connection  with  the  silent 
drama  were  carried  further  recently  when  it  was 
used  to  add  an  impressive  touch  of  realism  to  the 
presentation  of  "A  Stolen  Voice,"  featuring  Robert 
Warwick.  In  the  picture,  Mr.  Warwick  is  shown 
singing  before  a  large  audience  and  just  as  this 
scene  commenced  the  lights  were  turned  out,  the 
projector  stopped,  and  a  rendition  of  an  aria  from 
"Pagliacci"  came  from  an  Edison  phonograph  on 
the  stage.  When  the  song  was  ended  the  picture 
again  was  flashed  on  the  screen  and  the  perform- 
ance continued. 

The  effect  of  this  new  combination  of  the  phono- 
graph and  the  motion  picture,  two  of  Mr.  Edison's 
inventions,  surprised  even  those  who  had  planned  it 
and  it  evoked  prolonged  applause  from  the  twenty- 
five  hundred  people  in  the  auditorium.  This 
unique  feature  can  be  used  to  advantage  with  many 
picture  plays  and  managers  should  be  interested  in 
this  new  and  effective  use  of  the  phonograph  in 
connection  with  the  movies. 


PIANO  DEALERS  WELCOME 
PHONOGRAPH  DEALERS 

The  by-laws  of  the  Connecticut  Piano  Dealers' 
Association  have  been  amended  so  that  dealers  in 
phonographs  are  now  eligible  to  membership  in 
that  body.  As  one  member  remarked,  "the  tail  of 
the  dog,  meaning  the  phonograph  business,  had 
grown  so  tremendously  that  it  was  really  wagging 
the  dog,  represented  by  the  piano  trade."  The 
opinion  was  also  expressed  that  the  companionship 
of  men  who  conducted  business  on  a  strictly  one- 
price  basis  was  greatly  to  be  desired  by  the  piano 
merchants. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  AUGUST,  1916 


Doings  of  Edison  Artists 


ALBERT  SPALDING,  the  American  violinist, 
is  spending  the  summer  at  his  home  at  Mon- 
mouth Beach,  on  the  New  Jersey  coast,  where  he 
will  devote  a  great  part  of  his  time  and  talents 
as  a  composer  to  the  writing  of  a  number  of 
American  folk  lore  compositions.  He  also  is  set- 
ting to  music  a  number  of  negro  plantation  melo- 
dies and  ditties,  which  savor  strongly  of  the 
Southern  soil,  by  George  A.  Miller,  a  well-known 
delineator  of  negro  types  and  characters  who  has 
made  a  special  study  of  this  form  of  entertain- 
ment. When  completed  they  will  be  published  in 
neat,  attractive  album  form  suitable  for  the  study 
of  American  folk   lore  music. 


Marie  Sundelius,  the  famous  soprano  who  recent- 
ly made  her  first  record  for  the  Blue  Amberol 
catalog,  has  been  engaged  by  the  Metropolitan 
Opera  Company  and  will  appear  next  season  with 
that  organization  in  a  number  of  important  roles. 
The  career  of  this  artist,  who  was  born  in  Sweden, 
but  who  received  her  entire  musical  education  in 
America,  has  been  meteoric  and  her  engagement  as 
a  member  of  the  famous  Metropolitan  Opera  Com- 
pany stamps  her  as  a  great  artist. 

All  of  Mme.  Sundelius'  vocal  triumphs  have  been 
made  in  this  country,  where  she  has  appeared  in 
most  of  the  larger  cities.  Mme.  Sundelius  has 
been  a  resident  of  Boston  but  next  season  she  will 
reside  in  New  York,  her  activities  in  connection 
with  the  Metropolitan  Company  making  the  change 
necessary. 


Alessandro  Bonci,  the  noted  Italian  tenor,  be- 
lieves that  open  air  opera  on  a  large  scale  should 
be  given  in  this  country  in  summer.  "The  people  of 
America  more  and  more  are  appreciating  good 
music,"  he  said  in  an  interview,  "and  the  demand 
for  opera  would  justify  arrangements  for  a  summer 
operatic  season.  Instead  of  allowing  many  of  the 
great  artists  who  sing  in  the  metropolitan  cities  of 
the  United  States  in  the  winter  to  go  to  South 
America  in  the  summer,  keep  them  here.  There  is 
plenty  of  demand  for  their  services  if  they  appear 
in  the  open  air  or  in  opera  houses  that  are  thor- 
oughly ventilated   and  cool.'' 


Anna  Case  and  Mary  Jordan  will  be  among 
the  soloists  who  will  appear  at  a  series  of  Mon- 
day evening  musical  receptions  to  be  given  at  the 
new  Robert  Treat  Hotel  in  Newark,  N.  J.,  next 
winter. 


The  music  critic  of  the  Pittsburgh  Dispatch  paid 
a  fine  tribute  to  Christine  Miller  following  the 
appearance  of  the  latter  before  the  Pittsburgh  Art 
Society.  "She  is  amply  and  finely  skilled  in  the 
ways  of  song  and  is  certainly  one  of  our  most 
intelligent  singers,"  says  the  critique.  "In  'My 
Heart  Ever  Faithful'  her  singing  overflowed  with 
sheer  musical  intelligence  in  the  ordering  of  the 
whole  course  of  the  air,  and  in  the  adjustment  of 
every  detail  within,  while  over  all  played  a  sin- 
cerity and  simplicity  of  feeling  as  deep  and  true 
as  Johann   Sebastian's   own." 


At  the  Allied  Bazaar,  held  recently  in  the  Grand 
Central  Palace  in  New  York,  Alice  Verlet,  the 
noted  Belgian  soprano,  sang  the  national  hymn 
of  her  country  twenty-four  times  a  day  for  an 
entire  week  and  her  appearance  was  regarded  as 
one  of  the  musical  features  of  the  bazaar.  Mile. 
Verlet  has  been  very  active  in  working  to  allevi- 
ate the  distress  and  suffering  that  the  war  has 
brought  on  the  people  of  Belgium,  and,  besides 
taking  a  prominent  part  in  the  Allied  Bazaar,  she 
has  appeared  in  many  other  war  benefits  since  the 
outbreak  of  hostilities. 


Especially  enjoyable  numbers  on  the  program 
of  a  recent  concert  at  the  University  Club,  New 
York  City,  were  the  quartets  given  by  the  Criterion 
Male  Quartet,  the  personnel  of  which  consists  of 
John  Young,  tenor;  Horatio  Rench,  tenor;  George 
Reardon,  baritone,  and  Donald  Chalmers,  basso. 
The  quartet  numbers  served  to  display  to  advan- 
tage the  excellent  ensemble  which  these  musicians, 
who  have  made  several  delightful  Blue  Amberol 
Records,   have   achieved. 


A  Chautauqua  tour  that  will  keep  them  engaged 
for  about  ten  weeks  recently  was  commenced  by 
Reed  Miller,  tenor,  and  Nevada  Van  der  Veer, 
contralto.  Until  the  middle  of  August  the  two 
artists  will  be  heard  in  various  centers  in  New 
York  and  for  several  weeks  after  that  they  will 
appear  in  Vermont  and  Maine. 


Thomas    Chalmers    is    spending    the    summer    at 
Squann  Lake,   N.   IT. 


The  Rubin  Goldmark  Trio,  the  Tschaikowsky 
Trio,  the  Dvorak  Trio  and  the  Fernandez-Arbos 
Spanish  Dance  Suite  are  the  principal  works  being 
used  by  the  Tollefsen  Trio  in  a  number  of  appear- 
ances they  are  making  in  the  South  this  summer. 
The  members  of  the  Trio  are  preparing  for  an 
exceptionally  promising  winter  season. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  AUGUST,  1916 


Edison   Phonograph   Monthly 


Published  in  the  interest  of 

EDISON  AMBEROLA  PHONOGRAPHS 

AND 

BLUE  AMBEROL  RECORDS 

By  Thomas  A.  Edison,  Inc. 

ORANGE,  N.  J.,  U.  S.  A. 

Foreign  Offices: 

164  WARDOUR  ST.,  LONDON,  W.  ENGLAND 

364-372  KENT  STREET,  SYDNEY,  N.  S.  W. 

3  YORKSTRASSE,   BERLIN 
59  RUE  DES  PETITES-ECURIES,  PARIS 


Editorial 

Recently      we      have       been 
NeWSdaV  devoting    considerable    space 

in  the  Phonograph  Monthly 
to  requesting  dealers  to  contribute  news  items  or 
special  articles.  To  be  interesting,  the  Phonograph 
Monthly  must  contain  an  abundance  of  news 
material  from  you  and  reflect  your  activities.  It 
does  not  take  long,  nor  is  it  a  great  task  to  write  , 
a  letter,  and,  considering  this  we  are  at  a  loss  to 
understand  why  it  is  so  difficult  to  secure  the  co- 
operation of  some  dealers  in  making  this  periodical 
more  vital  than  ever  to  the  Amberola  organization. 
Remember  that  we  who  are  interested  in  the 
Amberola  line  now  have  an  organization  and  a 
monthly  magazine  distinct  from  the  Edison  disc 
line.  We  are  all  working  together  in  a  common 
cause.     Will   you   co-operate? 

Elsewhere  in  this  issue  you  will  read  that  we 
have  made  arangements  for  Edison  supervisors 
to  act  as  correspondents  for  the  Phonograph 
Monthly.  This  will  not  by  any  means  take  the 
place  of  what  we  have  heretofore  depended  on, 
namely:  direct  correspondence  from  you.  It  will 
merely  be   supplementary. 

Now,  what  we  are  going  to  put  up  to  you  is  this: 

We  have  set  aside  a  "NEWSDAY,"  which  will 
fall  on  Thursday,  August  10th.  On  that  day  we 
ask  every  Amberola  dealer  in  the  United  States 
and  Canada  to  sit  down  and  write  a  letter  to  the 
Editor.  Don't  hesitate  to  write  anything  that's  on 
your  mind  and  has  the  slightest  application  to  the 
Amberola,  for  we  might  find  therein  a  germ  of 
thought  out  of  which  to  make  a  strong  news  item 
or  editorial. 

On  another  page  you  will  find  an  outline  of  what 
kind  of  matter  we  can  use.  Tear  out  the  page  and 
keep  it  before  you,  read  it  over  every  once  in  a 
while  and  you  will  get  a  good  idea  of  what  we  con- 
sider Amberola  news  and  matters  of  current 
interest. 

The  success  of  "NEWSDAY"  and  the  future 
value  of  the  Phonograph  Monthly  cannot  depend 
on  the  other  fellow,  it  must  depend  on  you. 


"Never    give    up    until    they 
Faith  (prospects)    have   bought   an 

instrument.  In  case  they 
buy  anything  but  an  Edison  phonograph,  I  still 
would  keep  in  touch  with  them  for  they  never  will 
be   satisfied   until   they   own   Edisons." 

That  is  the  spirit  expressed  by  Lewis  DuVall,  of 
Meadville,  Pa.,  in  a  communication  published  in 
another  part  of  this  issue.  It  is  the  spirit  that 
should  animate  every  Edison  dealer.  Mr.  DuVall 
believes  in  himself  and  feels  that  he  cannot 
fail  to  sell  a  prospect  an  Edison  if  he  perseveres 
in  his  efforts.  And  he  believes  in  the  line  he  is 
handling  because  he  keeps  after  prospects  even 
when  they  have  bought  other  instruments. 

Any  Amberola  dealer  can  be  just  as  successful 
as  Mr.  DuVall  and  many  others,  who  have  the 
proper  confidence  in  themselves  and  appreciate  the 
advantages  of  the  Amberola  line. 


Front 


One  of  the  factors  in 
modern  retailing  is 
"front,"  a  word  that  has 
become  descriptive  of  the  exterior  appearance  and 
the  surface  qualifications  of  a  person.  "He  puts 
up  a  good  'front,'  "  you  will  hear  one  man  say  to 
another  in  recommending  a  third  party.  And  it  is 
a  recommendation  that  often  gets  and  holds  a  posi- 
tion for  a  man,  even  though  he  lacks  other  quali- 
fications that  should  be  more  essential. 

So  it  is  that  the  store  with  clean  windows  and 
attractive  window  displays  has  an  advantage 
over  other  stores.  If  the  exterior  of  your  store 
presents  an  inviting  appearance  and  the  interior 
contains  merchandise  in  which  quality  is  the  first 
consideration,  you  will  not  fail. 

Put  up  a  "front"  and  you  will  get  plenty  of 
opportunities  to  prove  the  virtue  of  your  goods  and 
the  value  of  your  service. 


Quality  and        0n<;     of    .the     stronsest 

p    .  selling     points     that     can 

be  used  by  a  Diamond 
Amberola  dealer  in  discussing  the  merits  of  the 
instrument  that  he  is  selling  lies  in  the  moderate 
price  of  Blue  Amberol  records  and  the  high  quality 
of  the  Blue  Amberol  catalog.  Do  you  realize  that 
there  positively  is  no  other  sound-reproducing  in- 
strument for  which  high-class  operatic  and  con- 
cert records  can  be  secured  at  the  price  charged 
for  Edison  cylinder  records? 

There  are  a  great  many  people  who  would  like 
to  own  a  high-class  phonograph  but  who  do  not 
feel  that  they  can  afford  to  pay  the  prices  that  are 
charged  for  the  better  classes  of  records.  The 
average  music  lover  cannot  afford  to  pay  from 
three  to   seven   dollars  for  a   single   record,   so  the 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  AUGUST,  1916 


desire  to  own  a  phonograph  and  have  access  to  the 
finest  music  in  the  world  is  suppressed.  The  Dia- 
mond Amberola  should  have  a  powerful  appeal  to 
those  who  like  the  best  of  music  but  who  cannot 
figure  how  they  can  meet  the  cost  of  fine  records. 
Some  of  the  greatest  musicians  of  the  world  are 
represented  in  the  Blue  Amberol  catalog  and  the 
price  charged  for  the  records  made  by  them  is 
only  a  fraction  of  that  demanded  for  disc  records 
of  a  similar  class.  In  this  respect  the  Amberola 
stands  alone. 

Let  the  people  of  your  territory  know  that  the 
Amberola  is  superior  in  every  way  to  the  ordinary 
talking-machine  (a  fact  proven  by  the  curtain  test 
at  the  recent  dealers'  convention  in  New  York 
City),  that  the  first  cost  is  reasonable  and,  above 
everything  else,  that  the  catalog  offers  the  highest 
class  of  records  at  a  very  moderate  price.  Get 
these  facts  woven  into  your  sales  talk  and  hammer 
them  home  on  every  occasion,  for  they  bring  results. 


JEWELER  BOOSTS  PHONOGRAPH 

In  a  speech  before  the  convention  of  the  Iowa 
State  Association  of  Jewelers  at  Eldora,  la.,  Fred 
Edgar  gave  it  as  his  decided  opinion  that  the 
phonograph  was  the  logical  article  for  the  side 
line  of  the  jeweler  of  today.  In  his  own  words: 
"To  my  mind  no  article  of  merchandise  fills  the 
bill  as  the  jeweler's  side  line  better  than  the 
phonograph,  because  it  is  marketed  on  the  'fixed- 
price'  system  that  our  association  has  always  de- 
manded  for   goods   in   our   own   line.      It   is   a   line 


that  attracts  to  your  store  the  class  of  people  that 
should  buy  high-priced  watches  and  diamonds,  and 
the  instruments  are  an  ornament  to  the  most  elegant 
store.  Both  instruments  and  records  carry  an  at- 
tractive profit,  and  the  demand  is  already  well 
established." 


GETTING  HER  MONEYS  WORTH 

Ossip  Gabrilowitsch,  the  pianist  tells  the  story 
of  a  pupil  who  came  to  Harold  Bauer  and  asked  his 
terms  for  lessons.  After  the  fourth  lesson  he  said 
to  her:  "Why,  madame,  do  you  always  bring  rhap- 
sodies, etudes,  swift  music?  Why  not  a  quiet  num- 
ber, something  that  shows  your  phrasing — some 
Andante?" 

"Mr.  Bauer,"  replied  the  pupil,  "your  lessons  are 
too  expensive — I  can't  afford  to  play  the  slow 
music." — Argonaut. 


That  phonographs  are  indispensable,  even  in  the 
ocean  depths,  is  evidenced  by  the  fact  that  the  Ger- 
man submarine  liner  Deutschland  which  recently 
arrived  at  Baltimore  with  a  cargo  of  dyes,  chemi- 
cals, etc.,  had  one  aboard  and  several  American 
selections  were  included  among  the  records. 


The  R.  C.  Bollinger  Music  Company,  Edison 
Amberola  dealers  at  Fort  Smith,  Ark.,  are  about  to 
expand  their  business  by  opening  a  branch  store  at 
Muskogee,   Okla. 


Field  Supervisors  Will  Gather  News  for 
Phonograph  Monthly 

The  Thomas  A.  Edison,  Inc.,  territorial  supervisors  have  been  added  to  the  staff  of  the  Phonograph  Monthly 
and,  in  the  future,  each  one  will  endeavor  to  cover  the  news  of  the  territory  which  he  supervises. 

It  is  expected  that  such  co-operation  on  the  part  of  the  supervisors  will  result  in  providing  the  Phonograph 
Monthly  with  an  abundance  of  live  news  each  month  and  that  will  make  the  periodical  even  more  interesting 
and  valuable  than  it  has  been  in  the  past.  The  supervisors  are  in  close  touch  with  many  dealers  and  are  in  a 
position  to  observe  the  various  sales  methods  and  promotion  schemes  that  are  being  used  by  dealers  who  are  making 
a  success  of  the  Amberola  line  and  who  are  finding  it  highly  profitable.  An  effort  will  be  made,  through  the  co- 
operation of  supervisors  and  dealers,  to  present  stories  of  such  methods  and  schemes  in  the  Phonograph  Monthly 
because  any  information  along  this  line  is  of  the  greatest  interest  to  dealers  throughout  the  country.  Sales  plans 
that  are  applicable  in  one  store  generally  can  be  used  with  some  modifications  in  any  store.  A  careful  study  of  the 
methods  that  have  made  one  merchant  successful  will  assist  other  merchants  in  building  up  their  trade. 

While  the  supervisors  will  do  all  in  their  power  to  secure  news  for  the  Phonograph  Monthly,  dealers  are  urged 
to  communicate  more  frequently  with  the  Editor  and  to  make  more  contributions  to  the  columns  of  this  periodical. 
Letters  from  dealers  or  special  articles  written  by  those  who  are  on  the  firing  line  make  the  most  interesting 
material  for  publication.  Occasional  letters  are  received  by  the  Editor  and  a  few  loyal  dealers  are  very  active 
in  support  of  this  monthly.  More  general  co-operation  is  desirable  and  necessary  if  the  Phonograph  Monthly  is 
to  take  the  position  that  it  should  in  Amberola  activities.  We  anticipate  splendid  returns  from  "NEWSDAY," 
August  10,  because  on  that  day  every  dealer  who  handles  the  Amberola  line  is  expected  to  write  the  Editor  a  letter 
that  bears  on  some  phase  of  Amberola  activities.  We  feel  that  with  the  co-operation  of  the  supervisors  and  the 
loyal  support  of  dealers  on  "NEWSDAY"  we  can  get  out  a  Phonograph  Monthly  that  will  be  increasingly  inter" 
esting  and  valuable. 


10 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  AUGUST,  1916 


Nothing  Serious 


A  GENIUS  OF  LETTERS 
Johnny — "Mother,    teacher    said    that    I    was    a 

greater   inventor   than   Edison." 

Mother — (pleased) — "What     did     she     say     you 

could   invent?" 

Johnny — "She  said  that  I  could  invent  more  new 

ways    of    spelling    words    than    anybody    she    ever 

saw." 


HARD  WORDS 

Judge — "So  you  say  words  passed  between  the 
husband  and  wife  in  this  case.  Did  you  hear  what 
they  were?" 

Witness — "No,  but  I  saw  them.  He  threw  a 
phonograph   record    at   her!" — Town    Talk. 


ALWAYS  A  WAY 

Critic — What  can  I  say  complimentary  about  this 
singer?     His  voice  has  a  terrible  beery  sound. 

Editor — Then  talk  about  his  liquid  notes. — Mu- 
sical America. 


A  BUSINESS   PROPOSITION 
"The  girl  in  the  phonograph  place  we  patronize 

nightly  is  just  full  of  affectation." 

"But  'she  must  consider  that  it  is  her  business  to 

put  on  airs." — Baltimore  American. 


AN  EASY  WAY 

Professor  Fugue:  "What  do  you  mean,  Mr.  Jones, 
by  speaking  of  Dick  Wagner,  Ludie  Beethoven, 
Charlie  Gounod   and   Fred  Handel?" 

Jones:  "Well,  you  told  me  to  get  familiar  with 
the  great  composers." 


BUT  NOT  THE  REST 

Composition  Teacher  to  Pupil — "There  is  one 
thing  about  your  sonata,  Mr.  Scratcher,  which 
reminds  me  of  Beethoven." 

"Really,  Professor,  you  delight  me;  and  what 
may  that  be?" 

"The  rests!" — Music  Student. 


A  LEADING  POSITION 

"An'  phwat  is  your  Patsy  doin'  these  days,  Mrs. 
O'Hagan?" 

"Ah,  he's  doin'  fine!  He's  a  conductor  in  the 
opery  house,  an'  wears  a  swallytail  coat." 

"A  conductor,  is  it?  An'  phat  does  a  conductor 
do?" 

"He  conducts  people  to  their  seats." 


CORRECT ! 

"Father,  what  is  meant  by  the  artistic  tempera- 
ment?" 

"The  artistic  temperament,  my  boy,  is  a  sort 
of  a  reserve  alibi  which  usually  saves  the  artist 
from  prosecution  on  a  charge  of  disturbing  the 
peace." — Puck. 


KNEW   SOMETHING  ABOUT   IT 
Lecturer — The    idea    of    eternity,    my    friends,    is 
something   too   vast   for   the   human   mind   to   con- 
ceive. 

Voice  from  audience — Did  you  ever  pay  for  a 
$200  phonograph  on  the  installment  plan? — Music 
Trades. 

IMMUNE 

"Mr.   Jones,    did   you    ever   take   music?" 
"No,  ma'am,  but  I've  been  exposed  to  it  a  whole 
lot.     My  wife  plays  the  piano." — Musical  America. 


The  following  letter  to  our  Jobber  at  Richmond,  Va.,  is  self-explanatory: 

Bermuda  Hundred,  Va.,  June  15,  1916. 


G.  B.  Haynes  &  Co., 

Richmond,  Va. 


Dear  Sirs: 

The  Amberola  and  records  reached  me  all  safe.  I  did  not  know  that  there  was  so  much  dif- 
ference between  this  machine  and  the  one  I  had,  the  Blank  (a  well-known  "talking  machine"), 
until  they  were  tried  here  together.  Mr.  Cofer  of  Chester  has  for  a  long  time  urged  me  to  call 
in  and  hear  your  machine  and  records,  believing  that  I  no  doubt  would  buy  one  if  it  was  proven 

to  be  better  in  every  way.     It  has. 

Very  respectfully  yours, 

J.  J.  Taylor. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  AUGUST,  1916 


11 


Slides  That  Bring  You  Prospects 


Gladden  Your  Home 

with  the 

Superb  Music 

of  the 

Edison  Diamond 
Amberola  Phonograph 


114 


A  very  little  money 
puts  this  new 
EDISON 

Diamond  Amberola 
Phonograph 

into  your  home. 


116 


MOTION  picture  per- 
formances are  uni- 
versally attended  and 
screen  advertising  is 
recognized  as  an  ef- 
fective medium  for 
reaching  a  large  part  of 
the  public. 

These  little  squares 
of  glass  with  their  let- 
tering and  pictures  are 
Edison  messengers  that 
briefly  but  forcefully 
bring  the  merits  of  the 
Diamond  Amberola  or 
Blue  Amberol  records 
to  the  attention  of 
motion-picture  audi- 
ences. 

Get  them  at  the 
nominal  cost  of  20  cents 
each,  without  your  name 
and  address,  or  25  cents 
each,  imprinted  with 
your  name  and  address. 

Order  through  your 
jobber  or  from  Thomas 
A.  Edison,  Inc.,  Ad- 
vertising Department, 
Orange,  N.  J.  All  orders 
to  Orange  must  be  ac- 
companied by  cash, 
stamps  or  monev  order. 
ORDER  BY  NUMBER 
ONLY. 


11: 


117 


HOW  TO  GET  'EM 

THERE  was  an  old  geezer  and  he  had  a  lot  of 
sense.  He  started  up  a  business  on  a  dollar- 
eighty  cents.  The  dollar  for  stock,  and  the  eighty 
for  an  ad,  brought  him  three  lovely  dollars  in  a 
day,  by  dad ! 

Well,  he  bought  more  goods  and  a  little  more 
space,  and  he  played  that  system  with  a  smile  on 
his  face. 

The  customers  flocked  to  his  two-by-four  and 
soon  he  had  to  hustle  for  a  regular  store.  Up  on 
the  square,  where  the  people  pass,  he  gobbled  up  a 
corner  that  was  all  plate  glass.  He  fixed  up  the 
windows  with  the  best  that  he  had  and  told  them 
all  about  it  in  a  half-page  ad. 

He  soon  had  'em  coming  and  he  never,  never 
quit,  and  he  wouldn't  cut  down  on  his  ads,  one  jit. 
And  he's  kept  things  humping  in  the  town  ever 
since,  and  everybody  calls  him  the  Merchant 
Prince. 

Some  say  it's  luck,  but  that's  all  bunk — why  he 
was  doing  business  when  the  times  were  punk! 

People  have  to  purchase  and  Geezer  was  wise 
— for  he  knew  the  way  to  get  'em  was  to  adver- 
tise.— E.  F.  Mclntyre  in  Associated  Advertising. 


If  you  are  doing  a  good  business  as  a  result  of 
your  experience,  how  much  business  could  you  do 
if  you  had  the  concentrated  experience  of  thousands 
of  other  dealers?  The  Phonograph  Monthly 
affords  Amberola  dealers  the  opportunity  to  give 
and  take,  but  you  cannot  take  unless  you  give. 
Write  to  the  editor  of  the  Phonograph  Monthly 
on  "XEWSDAY,"  August  10. 


We  want  to  receive  5,000  letters  from  Amberola 
dealers  during  the  month  of  August.  If  YOU  write 
we  shall  realize  our  wish.  Here  is  YOUR  oppor- 
tunity to  accomplish  big  results  with  a  small  ex- 
penditure of  time  and  energy. 


If  you  desire  big  returns  on  a  small   investment, 
spend    a   few   moments   in   writing  to  the   editor   of 


the     Phonograph 
August  10. 


Monthly 


"newsday; 


For  a  long  time  you  have  been  intending  to  write 
that  letter  to  the  Editor.  DO  IT — on  "NEWS- 
DAY,"  August  10. 


12 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  AUGUST,  1916 


Here's  the  September  Blue  Amberol  List — 
Every  Record  a  Good  Seller 


THE  debut  of  Giuseppe  Creatore's  Band  is  one 
of  the  big  features  of  the  list  of  Blue 
Amberol  records  for  September.  This  organiza- 
tion, headed  by  its  famous  leader,  has  appeared  in 
all  parts  of  the  world  with  phenomenal  success 
and  is  well  known  particularly  in  the  United  States 
where  it  has  appeared  in  every  city  of  prominence 
and  it  has  been  praised  enthusiastically  by  the 
music  critics.  Dealers  should  make  every  effort  to 
give  wide  publicity  to  the  fact  that  Creatore  and 
His  Band  now  are  making  records  for  the  Blue 
Amberol  catalog  and  that  the  first  number  made 
by  the  organization  is  on  the  September  list.  Adver- 
tise this  fact  and  your  returns  will  be  ample  be- 
cause the  reputation  of  Creatore  is  firmly  estab- 
lished and  lovers  of  band  music  will  be  delighted 
at  the  opportunity  to  get  records  made  by  his  band 
at  the  remarkably  reasonable  price  charged  for 
Blue  Amberols. 

Song  and  instrumental  hits  of  the  day  and  a 
liberal  number  of  classic  selections  make  the  Sep- 
tember list  unusually  attractive  from  the  dealer's 
standpoint.  Among  the  more  notable  classic  records 
is  one  presenting  two  violin  solos  by  Albert  Spald- 
ing. The  numbers  are  "Gigue,"  by  Rust,  and 
"Pierrot,"  by  Alberto  Randegger,  Jr.  Both  are 
superbly  rendered   and  in  both  Spalding  is  accom- 


panied by  Andre  Benoist,  who  makes  Blue  Amberol 
piano   records. 

Ernst  Albert  Couturier,  the  word's  most  able 
cornet  virtuoso,  contributes  a  splendid  rendition  of 
Schubert's  "Serenade"  with  orchestra  accompani- 
ment. This  is  a  beautiful  number  and  one  that 
every  music  lover  is  familiar  with.  The  songs 
and  ballads  included  in  the  list  are  all  in  strong 
demand  by  the  public.  Lovers  of  the  soft,  sweet 
music  of  the  Hawaiian  guitar  have  not  been  for- 
gotten and  neither  have  those  who  enjoy  a  fine 
male  quartet.  For  the  latter,  the  Criterion  Quartet, 
one  of  the  finest  in  the  country,  renders  the  ever 
popular  "Winter  Song"  in  a  most  appealing  way. 
An  interesting  feature  is  the  record  of  bed-time 
stories  by  Alice  Goddard,  who  knows  just  how  to 
tell  children's  stories,  for  she  dearly  loves  the 
kiddies  and  is  just  as  well  loved  by  them.  The 
Vaudeville  Sketch,  "Love-Sick  Coon,"  would  draw 
a  hearty  laugh  from  the  most  confirmed  grouch. 

The  dance  numbers  on  the  list  are  "Missouri 
Waltz,"  "Chateau  Three-Step"  and  "On  the  Hoko 
Moko  Isle  Medley,"  a  lively  one-step.  Dealers  in 
territories  containing  French  or  Swedish-speaking 
residents  will  find  the  records  in  those  languages 
good  sellers.  The  French  records  especially  will 
appeal  to  many  English-speaking  Amberola  owners. 


BLUE  AMBEROL  RECORDS  FOR  SEPTEMBER 


CONCERT 

28241  Gigue,  Rust:  and  Pierrot — Serenade,  Randegger,  Jr.,  Violin,  Piano  ace.  by  Andre  Benoist 


Albert  Spalding 


REGULAR 


2940 
2041 
2942 
2943 
2944 
2945 
2946 
2947 
2948 
2949 
2950 
2951 
2952 
2953 
2954 
2955 
2956 
2957 
2958 
2959 
2961 
2962 

2963 


If  I  Knock  the  "L"  Out  of  Kelly  (It  Would  Still  be  Kelly  to  Me)  Grant,  orch.  ace.  Ada  Jones  and  Chorus 

Medley  of  Hawaiian  Airs — No.  2,   Hawaiian  Guitars  Helen  Louise  and  Palakiko  Ferreira 


Are  You  from  Dixie?  ('Cause  I'm  from  Dixie  Too)  Cobb,  Tenor,  orch.  ace. 

Love-sick  Coon,  Vaudeville  Sketch  with  Banjo 

Keep  Off  the  Grass,    H.  Von  Tiller,  Banjo,  orch.  ace. 

Serenade,  Schubert.  Cornet,  with  orchestra 

My  Bonnie,  Bonnie  Jean,  Lauder,  orch.  ace. 

Marcia  Roma,  Musso 

Don't  Bite  the  Hand  That's  Feeding  You,  Morgan,  Tenor,  orch.  ace. 

So  Long  Letty,  Carroll,  Contralto  and  Baritone,  orch.  ace. 

Missouri  Waltz,   Logan-Eppel,  for  Dancing 

My  Grandfather's  Girl,  Dillon,  Tenor,  orch.  ace. 

Winter  Song,  Male  voices,  unacc. 

There's  a  Quaker  Down  in  Quaker  Town,  Solman,  Baritone,  orch.  ace. 

She  Sang  "Aloha"  to  Me,  Carey,  Tenor,  orch.  ace. 

Spirit   Flower,   Campbell-Tipton,    Tenar,    orch.  ace. 

Hapa  Haole  Hula  Girl,  Cunba,  Hawaiian  Guitars 

Baby  Shoes,  Piantadosi,  Soprano,  orch.  ace. 

Chateau  Three-Step,  Donaldson,  for  Dancing 

When  Irish  Eyes  are  Smiling — The  Isle  O'Dreams,  Ball,  Tenor,  orch.  ace. 

On  the  Hoko  Moko  Isle  Medley — One-Step,  for  Dancing 


Billy  Murray  and  Chorus 

Billy  Golden  and  James  Marlowt 

Vess  L.  Ossman 

Ernst  Albert  Couturier 

Glen  Ellison 

Creatore  and  His  Band 

Walter  Van  Brunt 

Helen  Clark  and  Joseph  A.  Phillips 

Jaudas'  Society  Orchestra 

George  Wilton  Ballard 

Criterion  Quartet 

Joseph  A.  Phillips 

Walter  Van  Brunt  and  Chorus 

Emory  B.  Randolph 

Helen  Louise  and  Palakiko  Ferreira 

Elizabeth  Spencer 

Jaudas'  Society  Orchestra 

Walter  Van  Brunt 

Jaudas'  Society  Orchestra 


Sweet  Cider  Time,  When  You  Were  Mine,  Wenricb,  Baritone,  orch.  ace. 

Joseph  A.  Phillips  (Introducing  Helen  Clark  in  the  Refrain) 
Story  of  the  Little  Red  Hen;  and  Little  Maud's  Story,  Bed-Time  Stories  Alice  Goddard 


SWEDISH  RECORDS 

9444  Sockerdricka,   Kuplelt,  Baritone,  orch.  ace. 

9445  National  Air  of  Sweden 

FRENCH  RECORDS 

27176  Le  Pere  la  Victoire,  Canne,  Baritone,  orch.  ace. 

27177  Le  Saint  Laurent,  Mercier,  Baritone,  orch.  ace. 


Chas.  G.  Widden 
New  York  Military  Band 


Orphee  Langevin 
Orphee  Langevin 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  AUGUST,  1916 


13 


Who's  Who  Among  Edison  Artists  in  the 
September  Blue  Amberol  List 


CREATORE  AND  HIS  BAND 

GIUSEPPE  CREATORE,  the  eccentric  and 
widely  renowned  band  leader,  and  his  organ- 
ization make  their  premier  on  the  Blue  Amberol 
list  for  September.  Known  the  world  over  for  its 
superb  and  spirited  playing,  the  addition  of  this 
notable  band  to  the  list  of  artists  and  musical 
organizations  that  already  make  records  for  the 
Blue  Amberol  catalog  is  bound  to  attract  wide- 
spread comment.  During  the  many  years  that 
Creatore  has  been  before  the  public  he  has  ap- 
peared with  his  band  in  practically  every  large  city 
in  the  civilized  world.  Wherever  they  have  ap- 
peared, the  critics  have  been  unanimous  in  accord- 
ing them  the  highest  praise  for  their  accomplish- 
ments. It  is  doubtful  if  any  similar  organization 
ever  received  the  plaudits  that  have  been  accorded 
this  band. 

Creatore  is  admitted  to  be  a  musical  genius  and 
the  success  of  his  organization  is  due  largely  to 
the  influence  that  he  has  over  his  players.  Italian 
by  birth  and  gifted  to  an  unusual  degree  with  the 
musical  temperament  that  so  many  of  his  country- 
men possess,  he  has  a  magnetism  that  enables  him 
to  control  perfectly  those  who  play  under  his  direc- 
tion. Although  he  uses  drastic  methods  to  attain 
the  results  he  desires,  it  is  upon  the  charm  and 
power  of  his  music,  and  not  the  methods  that  he 
uses  in  securing  it,  that  his  high  popularity  is  based. 
The  first  number  that  this  famous  organization  has 
made  for  the  Blue  Amberol  catalog,  the  "Marcia 
Roma,"  by  Musso,  is  an  impressive  and  inspiring 
march.  It  is  a  most  effective  record  with  which  to 
introduce  Creatore  and  His  Band  to  Amberola 
owners. 


ADA  JONES,  CONTRALTO 

There  is  no  name  more  familiar  to 
Edison  owners  than  that  of  Ada 
Jones,  the  contralto,  who  has  been 
engaged  in  making  phonograph 
records  practically  ever  since  the 
phonograph  became  a  commercial 
product.  This  popular  singer  truth- 
fully may  be  said  to  have  gradu- 
ated from  the  cradle  to  the  stage 
for  her  first  public  appearance  was 
made  at  the  age  of  seven  years 
when  she  took  part  in  a  performance  that  was 
given  at  the  old  National  Theatre  in  Philadelphia. 
Upon  this  occasion  she  sang  the  old  favorite, 
"Killarney,"  and  her  rendition  was  so  remarkably 
artistic  and  temperamental  that  she  held  her 
audience  spellbound.  Her  early  successes  only 
served  to  spur  the  young  singer  on  to  greater  efforts 
and  in  time  she  took  up  theatrical  work,  appearing 
with    Andrew    Mack,    George    Monroe,    John    Rice 


and  others.  When  the  phonograph  first  began  to 
be  distributed  on  a  large  scale,  Miss  Jones  became 
connected  with  the  Edison  company  and  she  soon 
was  one  of  the  most  popular  phonograph  singers. 
Her  versatility  and  her  stage  experience  enabled 
her  to  sing  serious  numbers  and  topical  songs,  with 
equally  pleasing  effects  and  she  won  great  popu- 
larity in  both. 

Her  topical  renditions  always  were  great  favor- 
ites of  the  public  and  her  singing  of  "If  I  Knock 
the  L'  Out  of  Kelly,"  a  record  of  which  she  has 
made  for  the  September  list,  promises  to  be  as 
popular  as  any  of  her  other  numbers.  Rendered 
in  her  own  inimitable  style,  it  will  have  a  strong 
appeal  to  those  who  include  Miss  Jones  among 
their  favorite  singers  and  it  is  certain  to  find  favor 
with  those  who  are  not  familiar  with  her  voice. 

DONALD  CHALMERS,  BARITONE 

Donald  Chalmers,  baritone,  is  a 
native  of  Pittsburg,  Pa.  At  an 
early  age  he  gave  evidences  of  be- 
ing vocally  gifted  and  he  was  a 
member  of  several  boy  choirs.  All 
his  studies,  until  he  reached  the  age 
of  seventeen,  were  directed  by  his 
mother,  who  then  placed  him  in  the 
care  of  William  Stevenson,  a  pupil 
of  the  elder  Lamperti.  At  this 
early  age  his  voice  had  ripened 
into  a  full,  rich  basso  cantante  and  he  was  made 
soloist  of  the  Fourth  Presbyterian  Church  of  Pitts- 
burg. Through  his  college  career  he  was  active  in 
musical  circles  and  upon  leaving  college  he  went 
to  New  York  where  he  studied  under  Oscar  Saen- 
ger.  Later,  and  while  he  was  engaged  in  profes- 
sional work,  he  continued  his  studies  under  H. 
Howard  Brown.  He  is  a  very  popular  festival 
singer  and  has  appeared  with  all  of  the  greatest 
artists  of  the  world.  His  beautifully  clear  and 
pure  voice  is  exemplified  to  the  full  in  the  ensemble 
work  of  the  Criterion  Quartet. 

ALICE  GODDARD,  STORY  TELLER 

There  is  nothing  that  a  child  of  a  certain  age 
enjoys  more  than  a  story  and  it  is  essential  that 
children,  at  the  impressionistic  age,  should  hear 
only  the  best  stories  and  they  should  hear  them 
told  properly.  This  is  commencing  to  be  recog- 
nized generally  and  the  old  art  of  story  telling  is 
being  revived.  Miss  Alice  Goddard,  who  appears 
for  the  first  time  among  Blue  Amberol  artists  on 
the  September  list  of  records,  is  one  of  the  few 
women  who  are  story  tellers  by  profession.  She  has 
studied  the  nursery  story  and  its  relation  to  chil- 
dren, and  the  knowledge  and  experience  that  she 
has  gained  from  her  practical  work  will  make  her 
records  very  welcome  in  homes  where  there  are 
small   children. 

In  her  first  number  she  tells  the  story  of  "The 
Little  Red  Hen"  and  "Little  Maud's  Story."  Both 
are  tales  of  the  best  and  simplest  kind  and  they 
were  designed  especially  for  recital  just  before 
baby's  bedtime.  Miss  Goddard  has  a  voice  that  is 
splendidly  adapted  to  this  kind  of  work  and  every 
word  comes  from  her  lips  as  clear  and  distinct  as 


14 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  AUGUST,  1916 


though  it  came  from  those  of  a  child's  mother. 
Records  of  this  kind  on  "talking-machines"  were 
impractical  because  so  many  of  the  words  were  lost 
that  it  was  impossible  to  keep  the  continuity  of  the 
story  without  constantly  straining  the  ears.  But  on 
the  Amberola,  with  Blue  Amberol  records,  there 
is  not  the  slightest  difficulty  in  hearing  every  word 
of  these   little  stories. 

Every  Amberola  owner  with  a  child  in  the  home 
is  a  live  prospect  for  Miss  Goddard's  records. 

JOHN  YOUNG,  TENOR 

For  several  years  Mr.  Young  has 
been  singing  for  the  Edison  catalog 
under  the  assumed  name  of  Harry 
Anthony,  but  hereafter  he  will  sing 
under  his  real  name.  A  native  of 
New  York  City,  Mr.  Young  has 
been  tenor  soloist  at  the  Lenox 
Avenue  Collegiate  Church  in  that 
city  for  the  past  fourteen  years. 
After  a  vigorous  course  of  study 
under  Oscar  Saenger  and  James 
Sauvage,  he  took  up  oratorio  and  concert  work, 
appearing  with  the  leading  choral  and  oratorio 
societies  of  the  United  States  and  Canada.  He 
has  won  unstinted  praise  for  his  musical  voice  and 
perfect  intonation.  He  is  first  tenor  of  the  Criterion 
Quartet,  which  contributes  the  "Winter  Song"  in 
the   September  list  of  Blue  Amberols. 

VESS  L.  OSSMAN,  ORCHESTRA  LEADER 

Vess  L.  Ossman,  the  founder  and  conductor  of 
Ossman's  Banjo  Orchestra,  an  organization  promi- 
nent throughout  the  country,  is  a  banjo  virtuoso 
and  was  playing  this  instrument  in  vaudeville  when 


the  revival  of  dancing  first  started  a  number  of 
years  ago.  The  character  of  the  music  designed 
for  the  new  dances  made  it  particularly  suitable 
for  rendition  on  the  banjo  and  there  commenced  a 
strong  demand  for  the  twangy  and  snappy  music 
of  this  instrument  in  dance  orchestras.  In  response 
to  this,  Mr.  Ossman  organized  his  banjo  orchestra 
and  proceeded  to  show  the  public  to  just  what 
advantage  this  instrument  of  the  South  could  be 
used.  Mr.  Ossman  and  his  artists  appeared  in 
vandeville  and  were  greeted  with  acclamation  in 
all  parts  of  the  country. 

The  demand  for  orchestra  records  for  dancing 
led  Thomas  A.  Edison,  Inc.,  to  secure  the  services 
of  this  stellar  organization  and  Mr.  Ossman  and 
his  orchestra  already  have  made  a  large  number 
of  splendid  dance  numbers  for  the  Blue  Amberol 
catalog.  They  all  are  characterized  by  their  verve 
and  swing  and  they  provide  ideal  music  for  dan- 
cing. Despite  the  fact  that  the  banjo  generally  is 
not  considered  a  highly  musical  instrument,  Mr. 
Ossman  gets  some  stirring  effects  in  the  renditions 
made  under  his  direction.  A  thorough  musician 
himself,  he  insists  that  his  players  shall  be  thor- 
oughly acquainted  with  the  musical  possibilities  of 
modern  dance  compositions.  The  result  is  seen  in 
the  popularity  of  the  records  he  and  his  organiza- 
tion have  made. 


Surely,  you  must  want  to  know  how  other 
Amberola  dealers  are  making  good  and  they  would 
like  to  know  how  you  are  doing  business.  If  YOU 
will  let  THEM  know  THEY  will  let  YOU  know. 
Exchange  your  ideas  through  the  Phonograph 
Monthly.     Start  on  "NEWSDAY,"  August  10. 


Going  Camping  This  Summer? 


The  $30  Model  of  the 

NEW  EDISON 

DIAMOND  AMBEROLA 

will  be  just  the  thing  to  help  make  your 
vacation  more  enjoyable.  It  is  compact, 
neat  and  fool-proof.  Records  are  practically 
indestructible.     No  needles  to  change  either 


WONT  YOU  COME  IN  AND  LET  US  TELL  YOU   MORE  ABOUT  IT? 


Here  is  a  reproduction  of  a  display  hanger  that  you  will  want  "right  now."  The  original  is  printed 
in  black  and  red  and  is  made  to  fit  your  14x22  inch  frames.  Sit  right  down  and  tell  your  jobber  you  want 
this  hanger  as  quickly  as  you  can  get  it.  As  soon  as  it  comes  put  it,  with  an  Amberola  30,  right  in  the  front 
of  your  display  window  where  nobody  can  miss  it,  and  get  the  full  benefit  of  its  message  while  the  camp- 
ing season  lasts.     Also  ask  for  Form  3217. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  AUGUST,  1916 


15 


Tear  This  Out  and  Keep  it  Before  You 

RECENTLY  the  Editor  received  a  letter  from  a  dealer  who  expressed  an  earnest  desire  to  contribute  to  the 
columns  of  the  Phonograph  Monthly  but  stated  that  he  did  not  know  just  what  to  write. 

Perhaps  this  is  the  reason  we  do  not  hear  from  you  more  frequently.       What  we  especially  want   is 
outlined  below. 

Competition  Stories. — How  you  got  the  better  of  the  other  fellow,  or  how  you  proved  the  superiority  of  the 
Amberola  over  "talking  machines." 

Prospect  Stories. — How  you  secure  prospects.  How  hard  prospects  were  finally  sold.  Why  you  made  certain 
sales.    Why  you  lost  certain  sales. 

Advertising.  How  do  you  advertise  and  what  are  results?  How  do  you  push  the  sale  of  new  records  each 
month?  Window  displays  and  their  effect  on  your  business.  (Send  photographs  of  unusual  displays  or  attractive 
interiors). 

Selling. — What  are  your  s#les  methods?  How  do  you  demonstrate?  Do  you  give  concerts  or  curtain  tests? 
Do  you  put  instruments  out  on  trial?  On  what  plan  and  what  are  the  results?  Do  you  send  out  trial  assortments 
of  records?  Selling  in  the  country.  Selling  in  city  or  town.  Canvassing  by  rig  or  automobile.  (Send  photographs 
of  outfit.)  Experiences  and  results.  Selling  among  foreigners.  Unusual  conditions  in  your  territory.  Difficult 
sales  problems  that  were  met  and  overcome. 

Your  Store. — Special  arrangements  of  stock  that  save  time  and  conserve  energy.  How  you  keep  your  record 
stock  and  system  of  maintaining  complete  s  tock  at  all  times.  Any  comments  visitors  or  customers  make  regarding 
the  Amberola  and  Blue  Amberol  Records.     Effect  your  Amberola  business  has  on  your  other  lines. 

Summer  Business. — Incidents  that  show  Amberola  can  as  readily  be  sold  in  summer  as  winter.  What  selling 
points  do  you  use?  What  actual  objections  have  you  met?  In  what  has  your  summer  selling  experience  differed 
from  your  winter  selling? 

This  request  is  not  put  in  the  "Monthly"  just  to  fill  up  space.  We  earnestly  request  your  story.  Grab  your 
pen  today.    Load  it  up  with  ink  and  fire  in  your  story.    We  want  it.    Will  you? 

Jobbers  of  Edison  Amberola  Phonographs 
and  Blue  Amberol  Records 


ALABAMA 
Birmingham — Talking  Machine  Co. 

CALIFORNIA 
Los  Angeles — Diamond    Disc    Distribu- 
ting Co. 
San  Francisco — Pacific  Phonograph  Co. 

COLORADO 
Denver — Denver  Dry  Goods  Co. 
Hext  Music  Co. 

CONNECTICUT 

New  Haven — Pardee-Ellenberger  Co. 

GEORGIA 

Atlanta — Atlanta  Phonograph  Co. 

Phonographs,  Inc. 
Watcross — Youmans  Jewelry  Co. 

ILLINOIS 
Chicago — Babson  Bros. 

James  I.  Lyons. 

The  Phonograph  Co. 
Peoria — Peoria  Phonograph  Co. 
Quincy — Quincy  Phonograph  Co. 

INDIANA 
Indianapolis — Kipp  Phonograph  Co. 

IOWA 
Des  Moines — Harger  &  Blish 
Sioux  City — Harger  &  Blish. 

LOUISIANA 
New  Orleans — Diamond  Music  Co.,  Inc. 

MARYLAND 
Baltimore — E.  F.  Droop  &  Sons  Co. 


MASSACHUSETTS 
Boston — Iver-Johnson  Sporting  Goods  Co. 

Pardee-Ellenberger  Co. 
Lowell — Thomas  Wardell. 

MICHIGAN 
Detroit — Phonograph  Co.  of  Detroit. 

MINNESOTA 

Minneapolis — Laurence  H.  Lucker. 
St.  Paul— W.  J.  Dyer  &  Bro. 

MISSOURI 
Kansas  City — The  Phonograph  Co. 
St.  Louis — Silverstone  Music  Co. 

MONTANA 
Helena — Montana  Phonograph  Co. 

NEBRASKA 
Omaha — Shultz  Bros. 

NEW  JERSEY 
Paterson — James  K.  O'Dea. 

NEW  YORK 

Albany — American  Phonograph  Co. 
Buffalo — W.  D.  Andrews. 

Neal,  Clark  &  Neal  Co. 
Elmira — Elmira  Arms  Co. 
N.  Y.  City— I.  Davega,  Jr.,  Inc. 

J.  F.  Blackman  &  Son 
Phonograph  Corp.  of 
Manhattan 
Rochester — Talking  Machine  Co. 
Syracuse — Frank  E.  Bolway  &  Son,  Inc. 

W.  D.  Andrews  Co. 
Utica — Arthur  F.  Ferriss. 
William  Harrison. 


OHIO 

Cincinnati — The  Phonograph  Co. 
Cleveland — The  Phonograph  Co. 

OREGON 

Portland — Pacific  Phonograph   Co. 

PENNSYLVANIA 
Philadelphia — Girard  Phonograph  Co. 
Pittsburgh — Buehn  Phonograph  Co. 
Scranton — Ackerman  &  Co. 
Williamsport — W.  A.  Myers. 

RHODE  ISLAND 
Providence — J.  A.  Foster  Co. 

TEXAS 
Dallas — Texas-Oklahoma  Phonog.  Co. 
El  Paso — El  Paso  Phonograph  Co.,  Inc. 

UTAH 
Ogden — Proudfit  Sporting  Goods  Co. 
Salt  Lake  City — Consolidated  Music  Co. 

VERMONT 

Burlington — American  Phonograph  Co. 

VIRGINIA 
Richmond — C.  B.  Haynes  &  Co. 

WASHINGTON 
Seattle — Pacific  Phonograph  Co.,  N.  W. 
Spokane — Pacific  Phonograph  Co.,  N.  W. 

WISCONSIN 
Milwaukee — The  Phonograph  Co. 

CANADA 
Calgary — R.    S.    Williams    &    Sons    Co., 

Ltd. 
Montreal— R.  S.  Williams  &  Sons  Co., 

Ltd. 
St.  John— W.  H.  Thome  &  Co.,  Ltd. 
Toronto — R.  S.  Williams  &  Sons  Co.,  Ltd. 
Vancouver — Kent  Piano  Co.,  Ltd. 
Winnipeg — Babson  Bros. 

R.   S.   Williams  &  Sons  Co.,  Ltd. 


You  Cannot  Talk  To  All  the  People  in  Your  Territory 

but  these 
Ads  Will  Tell  Them  What  You  Want  Them  To  Know 

ENTERPRISING  dealers  who  are  making  use  of  the  ad  copy  provided  in  each  issue  of 
the  Phonograph  Monthly  are"  feeling  the  beneficial  effects  of  this  publicity.  In  the 
preparation  of  this  copy  an  endeavor  is  made  to  present  the  merits  of  the  Diamond 
Amberola  and  Blue  Amberol  records  in  the  most  attractive  way  and  the  dealer  who  uses  them 
with  due  persistency  is  certain  to  benefit. 

You  can  secure  the  electros  used  in  these  ads  by  addressing  THOMAS  A.  EDISON, 
Inc.,  Advertising  Department,  Orange,  N.  J.  Order  by  number  only.  There  is  no  charge  for 
electros,  the  dealers  using  them  only  being  required  to  send  in  the  clippings  of  the  ads  in 
which  they  appear. 


THE  DIAMOND  AMBEROLA 

Is  An 

EDISON  PHONOGRAPH 

It  Bears  the  Name  That  Stands  For 

Supremacy  In  Sound 

Reproduction 


Moderate  in  price,  it 
has  all  of  those  im- 
provements  that 
make  the  Edison 
distinct  from  any 
other  sound-repro- 
ducing device. 

As  the  Diamond 
Amberola  is  moder- 
ate in  price  and 
superior  in  quality, 
so  are  the  records 
that  are  made  for  use 
on  it.  They  cost  only 
fifty  and  seventy-five 
cents  each  and  yet 
the  Blue  Amberol 
catalog  contains  the 
name  of  most  of  the 
great  singers  of  the 
world. 

High  art  at  low  cost 
is  available  to  you 
through  the  Edison 
Diamond  Amberola. 
The  Edison  Amber- 
ola line  offers  three 
instruments:  Model 
75,  as  illustrated, 
$75;  Model  50,  por- 
table, $50;  Model  30, 
portable,  $30. 


MODEL  No.  75 

PRICE  $75 

(ELECTRO  No.  820) 


You    Want    a    Phonograph    That    Bears 
the  Name  of  Edison 

If  You  Want  One  at  a    Moderate  Price  Come  In 
and  Let  Us  Show    You    the    Diamond  Amberola. 

(DEALER'S  NAME  AND  ADDRESS) 


Those    Who    Know    Music    Know    That 

THE  EDISON  DIAMOND 
AMBEROLA 

Is    Musically    Superior     To     Any 

Sound-Reproducing    Device     Not 

Bearing  the  Name  of  Edison 

It  is  the  instrument  demanded  by  people 
of  discrimination  who  will  have  nothing 
but  an  Edison  and  who  want  high-class 
records  but  who  must  give  consideration 
to  price. 


MODEL  50        PRICE  $59 
(ELECTRO  No.  822) 

Both  the  Diamond  Amberola  and  Blue 
Amberol  Records  are  products  of  the  Ed- 
ison laboratories  and  bear  the  stamp  of 
Thomas  A.  Edison's  genius — the  mark 
of  superiority. 

In  addition  to  the  model   illustrated  above, 
there  is  Model  75  at  $75,  and  Model  30  at  $30. 

Come    to    Our    Store    and    Hear 
This  Wonder  Instrument 

(DEALER'S  NAME  AND  ADDRESS) 


ts&  EDISON 
PHONOGRAPH 
MONTHLY 


VOL.    XIV 


SEPTEMBER,  1916 


NO.  9 


JACQUES  URLUS 

Greatest  of  Wagnerian  Tenors 

(See   Page  13) 


Sitting  Over  a  Gold  Mine 

FOR  the  last  six  months  we  have  been  hammering  at  you  to  "GET 
BUSY."      Perhaps   you   have   felt   inclined    to   brand   some   of  our 
remarks  as  "just  sales  talk."     The  best  way  we  know  of  correcting 
any   erroneous   impression   that   may   exist   in   your   minds   regarding   the 
possibilities   of  the  Diamond  Amberola   is   to   cite  you   some  facts — pure, 
unadulterated  facts  that  cannot  be  misconstrued  or  denied. 

1 — These  are  more  prosperous  times  than  have  ever  before  existed  in  the 
history  of  this  nation. 

2 — Money  is  being  freely  spent  by  everyone,  everywhere. 

3 — The  Edison  Amberola  business  is  increasing  at  an  enormous  rate.     We 
have  done  35  per  cent  more  business  this  year  than  in  the  corresponding 
period  of  the  year   before.      Are    you    getting   part   of    this    increased 
business  ? 

4 — The  new  Diamond  Amberolas  have  made  a  tremendous  hit  with  the 
buying  public.  Have  the  people  in  your  town  been  advised  by  you 
about  these  master  instruments?  Have  you  done  any  Amberola  ad- 
vertising lately  ?  Are  you  alive  to  your  opportunities  ?  Are  you  spreading 
the  gospel  of  good  cheer,  active  interest  in  your  work,  optimism,  am- 
bition and  enthusiasm?  Or,  do  you  believe  the  country  is  going  to 
the  damnation  bow-wows  and  that  there  is  no  good  in  anything  and 
you  can't  sell  anything  because  you  cannot  find  time  to  get  up  out  of 
your  chair  and  show  some  speed  and  pep? 

Mr.  Dealer,  you  are  sitting  over  a  gold  mine!  You  have  the  tools  to 
start  mining  any  time  you  want  to  start.  Your  pick  is  "work"  and  your 
shovel  is  "enthusiasm."     When  do  you  start? 

Many  good  things  are  coming  on  the  Amberola.  Watch  for  them, 
ideas  and  sales  plans  that  will  make  even  a  corpse  sit  up  and  take  notice. 

We  will  let  two  of  the  cats  out  of  the  bag — watch  for  the  new  Diamond 
Amberola  instrument   catalog  and  the  Diamond  Amberola  "STORE." 


The  Edison 
Phonograph  Monthly 


Volume  XIV 


SEPTEMBER,  1916 


Number  9 


Hawaiian  Music  Universally  Popular 


TWO  years  ago  what  did  the  public  know 
about  Hawaiian  Music,  Ukuleles,  Hula  Hula 
Dances?  Since  then  Hawaiian  music  and  American 
versions  of  it  have  taken  the  United  States  by 
storm.  Many  New  York  restaurants  have  Ukulele 
players  to  entertain  their  guests,  theatre  orchestra 
leaders  are  programming  Hawaiian  music,  vaude- 
ville artists  are  introducing  it  into  their  perform- 
ances, and  even  the  motion  picture  producers  are 
reflecting  the  music  and  customs  of  Hawaii  by 
filming  stories  of  this  Pacific  island  that  has  been 
brought  into  such  prominence  by  the  originality 
and  fascination  of  its  music  and  the  instrument 
upon  which  it  is  played.  Those  who  are  familiar 
with  the  characteristic  strains  of  the  Ukulele  will 
understand  just  why  it  has  attained  such  a  high 
degree  of  popularity.  Capable  of  expressing  a 
wide  range  of  emotions,  in  music  of  the  most 
haunting  kind,  it  has  sung  its  way  into  world-wide 
renown  and  gained  for  itself,  in  an  exceedingly 
short  time,  recognition  as  an  orchestral  instrument 
of   rare  possibilities. 

The  form  of  the  instrument  is  patterned  after 
that  of  the  guitar,  but  the  origin  of  the  manner 
in  which  it  is  played  is  unknown.  It  is  made  of 
Koa  wood,  which  is  found  only  in  the  Hawaiian 
Islands,  and  which  has  to  be  seasoned  for  seven 
years  before  it  is  in  suitable  condition  to  be  fash- 
ioned into  the  Ukulele.  The  limited  supply  of 
wood  and  the  necessity  of  prolonged  and  careful 
seasoning  make  the  supply  of  genuine  Hawaiian 
instruments  exceedingly  small.  The  Ukulele  is 
played  by  placing  it  flat  on  the  knees  and  plucking 
the  strings.  Its  peculiar  slurred  tones  are  secured 
by  a  small  piece  of  steel  which  is  held  in  the  left 
hand  of  the  player  and  passed  rapidly  along  the 
strings  above  the  frets.  Tradition  has  it  that  a 
Portuguese  trader  brought  it  to  Hawaii  many  years 
ago  and  charmed  the  natives  with  the  exquisite 
music  that  he  drew  from  it.  As  a  result  the  instru- 
ment, and  the  method  of  playing  it,  were  adopted 
by  the  inhabitants  of  the  island,  who  developed  it 
from  its  crude  state  into  the  instrument  of  today. 
The  earliest  players  found  music  at  hand  in  the 
melodies  of  hymns  that  were  sung  by  missionaries 


and  in  much  of  the  real  Hawaiian  music  traces  of 
the  strains  of  old  sacred  selections  can  be  heard. 
For  years  travelers  who  returned  from  Hawaii 
brought  stories  of  the  strange  and  beautiful  music 
that  the  natives  played  on  their  Ukuleles,  but  it 
was  not  until  Tully's  opera  "The  Bird  of  Paradise" 
was  produced  that  musicians  gave  any  serious 
attention  to  the  instrument  and  its  music.  This 
opera,  with  its  wonderful  setting  of  exotic  music, 
however,  brought  the  Hawaiian  instrument  into 
prominence,  and  for  a  number  of  years  it  was 
known  and  appreciated  by  many  musicians.  A  few 
months  ago  its  music  was  translated  to  the  Ameri- 
can public  through  the  medium  of  Hawaiian- 
American  ragtime  and  since  then  it  has  sprung 
into  universal   popularity. 

In  response  to  this,  a  number  of  high  class  real 
Hawaiian  music  records,  as  well  as  a  large  num- 
ber of  Hawaiian-American  popular  records,  have 
been  made  for  the  Blue  Amberol  catalog.  Some 
fine  examples  of  genuine  Hawaiian  music  appear  on 
recent  supplements.  The  September  list  includes 
"Medley  of  Hawaiian  Airs,  No.  2"  (No.  2941)  by 
Helen  Louise  and  Palakiko  Ferreira,  two  masters 
of  the  Ukulele,  and  "Hapa  Haole  Hula  Girl  (No. 
2956),  also  rendered  by  the  above  players.  On  the 
August  list  was  "Hilo  March"  (No.  2927),  a  cork- 
ing Ukulele  selection,  and  in  the  Blue  Amberol 
record  catalog  you  will  find  further  examples  of 
this   class   of  music. 

Hawaii  is  a  ready  subject  for  popular  songs,  and 
the  Ukulele,  Hula  Hula  girls,  Honolulu  and 
Hawaii  itself  have  provided  many  themes  for  the 
writers  and  composers  of  ragtime  and  ballad  num- 
bers. The  biggest  popular  hits  of  this  season  are 
all  Hawaiian  songs  and  the  demand  for  records 
of  these  is  widespread  and  insistent.  Some  excel- 
lent samples  of  these  Hawaiian-American  songs 
are  found  in  the  October  supplement.  "I  Left 
Her  on  the  Beach  at  Honolulu"  (No.  2982) 
is  a  particularly  popular  number,  one  of  the  finest 
records  of  the  kind  ever  made.  There  are  three 
other  records  of  Hawaiian-American  songs  on  the 
October  supplement.  They  are:  "Fair  Hawaii" 
(No.    2964),    "Oh,    How    She    Could    Yacki    Hacki 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  SEPTEMBER,  1916 


Wicki  Wacki  Woo  (That's  Love  in  Honolu)" 
(No.  2965),  and  "I  Lost  My  Heart  in  Honolulu" 
(No.  2978). 

Preparedness  is  a  universal  policy  these  days. 
Anticipate  your  needs  and  place  a  liberal  order 
with  your  jobber,  for  you  surely  will  need  a  big 
stock  of  these  popular  records  to  meet  the  demands 
of  your  customers. 


CUT  REPAIR  BILLS  ONE-THIRD 

BY  means  of  a  circular  letter,  calling  attention 
of  phonograph  owners  to  the  necessity  of 
keeping  their  instruments  well  lubricated,  the 
Askew-Coulter-Owen  Drug  Company,  Amberola 
dealers  at  Clarksville,  Tenn.,  have  reduced  their 
repair  calls  by  about  one-third.  In  the  Phonograph 
Monthly  for  February  there  was  an  item  suggest- 
ing the  importance  of  oiling  instruments  at  proper 
intervals  and  urging  dealers  to  impress  on  their 
customers  the  desirability  of  keeping  their  Am- 
berolas  clean  and  well  oiled.  Our  Clarksville 
dealers  were  one  of  those  who  followed  the  advice 
given  in  the  article  and  their  testimony  regarding 
the  saving  of  trouble  and  expense  to  them  should 
induce  all  progressive  dealers  to  take  some  steps 
to  advise  their  customers  of  the  value  of  an  oc- 
casional drop  of  oil. 

The  following  is  based  on  the  form  used  by  the 
Askew-Coulter-Owen  Company  and  is  submitted 
for  use,  in  the  form  of  a  circular  letter,  by  all 
Amberola  dealers: 

A  Little  Oil,  Please 
It  is  time  to  oil  your  phonograph  if  you 
have  not  done  so  already. 

To  oil  phonograph,  remove  the  top 
grille  and  apply  oil  at  all  points  listed 
below: 

(a)  All  bearings  in  the  mechanism  be- 

neath the  top   plate. 

(b)  The   two   oil   holes   in   top   of  gear 

cover. 

(c)  Along    reproducer    feed-screw,    di- 

rectly beneath  the  cylinder. 

(d)  Along  reproducer  slide  rod. 
Replace  the  top  grille. 

To  put  in  the  front  grille,  insert  one 
edge  of  grille  into  upper  slot  at  front 
opening  of  cabinet,  push  up  grille  as  far 
as  it  will  go  and  allow  lower  edge  to 
drop  into  its  slot. 

Remember,  cents  worth  of  oil  mean 
dollars  worth  of  mechanism  saved.  But 
be  sure  you  use  the  right  kind  of  oil, 
Edison  Diamond  Oil  as  supplied  by  us, 
and  use  just  a  few  drops.  Too  much  is 
almost  as  bad  as  not  enough,  for  it  is 
apt  to  gum  and  collect  dust. 

Come  in  and  let  us  play  the  latest 
Blue  Amberol  records  from  the  Edison 
Laboratories. 

Very  truly  yours, 
(Dealer's   Name   and   Address.) 


HEARS  FRIEND'S  AMBEROLA— 
ORDERS  ONE  BY  'PHONE 

A  LETTER  from  Oliver  Rouse,  of  Frank  Rouse 
and  Company,  Amberola  dealers,  at  Benson, 
Neb.,  shows  what  folks  think  of  the  Diamond 
Amberola  once  they  hear  it. 

Mr.  Rouse  was  asked  to  give  his  reasons  for 
taking  on  the  Amberola  line  and  he  answered  with 
an  enthusiastic  letter  in  which  he  explained  that 
the  Amberola  line  makes  an  ideal  companion  for 
the  Edison  Disc  line.  "We  run  across  parties  who 
are  not  in  a  position  to  buy  the  disc  instrument, 
but  who  desire  music  in  their  homes,"  states  the 
letter.  "In  such  cases  we  try  to  convince  them 
(and  usually  succeed)  that  the  Amberola  is  better 
than  the  highest  priced  needle-type  machine  on  the 
market. 

"Had  a  strange  experience  yesterday,"  continues 
the  letter.  "A  party,  of  whom  we  had  never  heard, 
called  us  up  and  told  us  to  deliver  to  her  a 
Model  30  Amberola  and  10  records,  which  you  bet 
we  did.  We  learned  that  she  had  heard  one  of 
these  instruments  that  we  had  sold  to  another 
party  and  she  was  so  pleased  with  it  that  she 
ordered  it  without  any  solicitation  on  our  part. 
Rather  a  pleasing  experience,  was  it  not?" 


FINDS  THE    AMBEROLA  LINE  A 
VALUABLE  ASSET 

ELMER  S.  JOHNSTON,  Amberola  and  Edison 
Disc  dealer  located  at  Baraboo,  Wis.,  is  mak- 
ing the  most  of  the  great  opportunities  offered  by 
handling  the  entire  Edison  line  of  phonographs 
and  records.  The  policy  that  he  has  adopted,  a 
policy  that  all  combination  dealers  can  adopt  with 
advantage,  is  outlined  in  the  following  letter  from 
Mr.  Johnston: 

"With  reference  to  the  Amberola  line  in  Sauk 
County.  We  would  state  that  it  is  our  intention 
to  put  in  the  line  and  push  the  same  as  much  as 
the  Disc.  In  fact,  to  substantiate  our  statement, 
we  would  state  that  we  have  purchased  six  Model 
50  Amberolas  and  24  Model  30  Amberolas  and 
have  enlarged  our  Blue  Amberol  record  space  to 
accommodate  about  five  times  as  many  records  as 
before,  making  racks  to  contain  about  800  records. 
We  intend  to  keep  them  full  for  this  line,  as  it  is  a 
valuable  asset  to  the  Edison  business." 


The  authorities  of  the  Catholic  Church  are  being 
asked  to  sanction  the  use  of  the  phonograph  in 
connection  with  the  Catholic  burial  service  as  the 
result  of  the  employment  of  an  instrument  at  two 
funerals  held  recently  in  the  chapel  of  Calvary 
Cemetery  in  New  York  City.  The  funerals  were 
those  of  persons  whose  relatives  were  too  poor  to 
secure  the  services  of  singers  and  the  instrument 
was  one  donated  for  the  express  purpose  of  pro- 
viding   music    under    such    circumstances. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  SEPTEMBER,  1916 


IRVING  H.  KLEIN— BUSINESS 
BUILDER 

IRVING  H.  KLEIN  is  the  active  manager  of 
the  R.  H.  Bach  Piano  Company,  Amberola 
dealers  in  Faribault,  Minn.,  and  is  largely  respon- 
sible for  the  success  that  concern  has  had  with  the 
Amberola   line. 

The  R.  H.  Bach  Company  commenced  to  deal  in 
the  Edison  Amberola  about  a  year  ago,  and  to-day 
it  is  doing  an  extensive  and  profitable  phonograph 
business. 

The  Editor  of  the  Phonograph  Monthly  recently 
sent  a   letter  to  Mr.  Klein,   requesting  information 


Irving  H.  Klein,  active  manager  of  the  R.  H.  Bach  Piano 
Company,  Amberola  dealers  at  Faribault,  Minn.  Mr.  Klein 
is  standing  beside  the  six-cylinder  automobile  ■  used  for  de- 
livering Diamond  Amberolas  to  purchasers  and  for  home 
demonstrations.  Instruments  and  records  are  carried  in  a  box 
body  on  the  rear  of  the  auto. 


concerning  the  progress  made  by  his  company  dur- 
ing their  first  year  of  experience  with  the  Amberola. 

The  reply  came  back  so  promptly  that,  before  we 
opened  it,  we  knew  that  business  was  not  lagging 
with  the  R.  H.  Bach  Company.  Business  never 
lags  where  those  in  charge  of  it  are  not  laggers. 
The  impression  of  business  efficiency  gained  by  the 
prompt  arrival  of  Mr.  Klein's  letter  was  not  in  the 
least  diminished  by  the  contents  of  it.  In  the  first 
paragraph  of  the  letter  we  were  informed  that 
the  record  business  of  the  concern  is  on  the  increase 
and  that  each  day  this  year  more  Blue  Amberols 
are  being  sold  than  on  the  corresponding  day  last 
year.  Further  evidence  of  efficiency  is  the  fact 
that  Mr.  Klein  keeps  constantly  informed  regard- 
ing the  details  of  his  business.  He  knows  what 
his  sales  were  a  year  ago  and  what  they  should 
be  this  year.     Nothing  is  left  to  chance. 

The  letter  further  informed  us  that  the  R.  H. 
Bach  Company  believes  in  advertising  and  does 
advertise.  The  members  of  the  company  have  the 
courage  of  their  convictions. 

"We  are  running  an  ad  in  the  daily  and  one  in 
the    weekly    newspapers    the    year    around    of    the 


style  30  Amberola,"  states  the  letter  of  Mr.  Klein, 
"and  have  sent  out,  on  two  occasions,  advertising 
matter  to  every  family  in  the  county." 

While  no  money  that  is  spent  on  advertising  can 
be  counted  as  entirely  wasted,  it  is  not  the  occa- 
sional ad  that  pays  the  highest  returns.  It  is  steady, 
consistent  and  persistent  advertising — the  adver- 
tising that  is  done  every  day  and  every  week — that 
pays.  It  is  persistent  publicity  that  stirs  up 
interest,  brings  in  prospects  and  profits. 

The  R.  H.  Bach  Company  not  only  have  the 
goods  to  deliver  but  are  ideally  equipped  to  deliver 
the  goods.  The  concern  maintains  a  six-cylinder 
automobile  upon  which  at  least  a  half  dozen  instru- 
ments can  be  carried.  This  not  only  facilitates 
deliveries,  but  it  opens  up  the  way  for  many  demon- 
strations. And  it  adds  a  certain  distinction  to  the 
concern — a  distinction  and  prestige  that  are  good 
advertising  in  themselves. 

The  sound  business  policies  of  the  company 
recently  made  an  expansion  necessary,  and  last 
month  new  and  larger  quarters  were  secured  and 
a  new  era  of  prosperity  entered  on.  That  the 
future  of  the  concern  will  be  marked  by  the  greatest 
success  can  be  doubted  by  no  one  who  has  the 
slightest  insight  into  the  elements  of  mercantile 
success. 

The  R.  H.  Bach  Company  is  a  splendid  example 
of  the  live  Amberola  dealers  who  are  enjoying  a 
constantly  increasing  and   profitable  business. 


NEW  AMBEROLA  DEALERS 

THE  monthly  lists  of  new  dealers  who  secure 
franchises  to  deal  in  the  Amberola  line  con- 
tain a  goodly  percentage  of  Edison  Disc  dealers 
who  have  found  that  their  line  is  not  complete 
without  the  Diamond  Amberola  and  Blue  Amberol 
records.  Many  Edison  Disc  dealers  constantly  are 
meeting  with  requests  for  Blue  Amberol  records 
and  for  demonstrations  of  Diamond  Amberola  in- 
struments. An  Edison  store  is  the  logical  place 
for  the  owner  of  an  Amberola  to  go  to  purchase 
records,  and  no  merchant  likes  to  disappoint  a  per- 
son who  offers  him  patronage.  It  often  happens 
that  the  prospective  purchaser  of  a  phonograph 
cannot  afford  to  pay  the  price  of  an  Edison  Disc 
instrument,  and,  desiring  an  Edison  instrument, 
would  buy  an  Amberola  rather  than  a  disc  talking 
machine.  So,  an  insistent  demand  for  Amberola 
instruments  and  Blue  Amberol  records  is  respon- 
sible for  the  accession  of  a  large  number  of  Edison 
Disc  dealers  to  the  ranks  of  Amberola  dealers. 

During  the  past  month  thirty-two  dealers  secured 
franchises  permitting  them  to  handle  the  Amberola 
line.  Fourteen  of  these  were  granted  to  Disc 
dealers;  nine  of  them  to  exclusively  Amberola 
dealers,   and  eight  of  them  to  combination  dealers. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  SEPTEMBER,  1916 


ORDER  THIS  NEW  FOLDER  FROM 
YOUR  JOBBER 

THE  Amberola  primarily  is  an  instrument  for 
the   home    and    any    advertising  that   empha- 
sizes this  always  is  effective. 

A    four-page    folder   that   suggests   very   forcibly 
the  pleasure  that  an  Amberola  will    afford   in   the 


home  has  been  issued  by  our  advertising  depart- 
ment for  the  use  of  dealers.  It  is  printed  in  two 
colors,  red  and  blue,  and  the  contents  dwell  on 
the  advantages  of  having  access  to  the  Blue 
Amberol  library  of  music  through  the  medium  of 
a  Diamond  Amberola;  the  wide  range  of  musical 
tastes  the  instrument  will  satisfy;  the  convenience 
of  and  the  ease  with  which  it  is  operated ;  its 
mechanical  and  artistic  superiority  to  talking  ma- 
chines; the  many  merits  of  Blue  Amberol  records; 
the  low  cost  of  both  the  instruments  and  the 
records.  All  of  these  points  are  touched  upon  in 
an   appealing  and  convincing  manner. 

The  folder,  an  illustration  of  which  is  shown 
herewith  in  reduced  size,  is  eight  and  one-half 
inches  by  five  and  one-half  inches,  and  is  ideally 
adapted  for  mailing  to  prospects  or  for  handing  to 
people  who  come  into  your  store.  It  can  be  used  in 
your  territory  in  many  other  ways,  according  to 
your  local  conditions  and  your  own  ingenuity.  Your 
jobber  has  been  supplied  with  these  folders  and 
you  immediately  should  order  as  many  as  you 
think  you   can   use   to   advantage. 


AMBEROLA  IN  MISCELLANEOUS 
WINDOW  DISPLAYS 

AMBEROLA  dealers  who  conduct  general 
stores  and  who  have  display  windows  avail- 
able should  bear  in  mind  the  fact  that  the  Am- 
berola can  be  made  to  help  out  many  different  kind? 
of  window  displays.  The  Amberola  need  not  oc- 
cupv  a  dominating  position,  except  in  your  special 
Amberola  displays,  because  its  purpose  is  to  help 
feature  other  merchandise  and  incidentally  get  a 
little  attention  for  itself.  Having  the  Amberola 
appear  among  the  "properties"  of  every  setting  in 
which  it  is  possible  to  harmonize  the  instrument 
with  the  rest  of  the  display,  is  bound  to  have  a 
beneficial  effect  on  your  Amberola  business. 

The  reason  for  this  lies  in  the  fact  that  constant 
suggestion  is  a  most  powerful  factor  in  stirring  up 
interest  in  any  line  of  merchandise.  This  is  par- 
ticularly true  of  the  phonograph.  Give  the  Am- 
berola a  special  window  as  frequently  as  possible, 
but  at  the  same  time,  make  every  effort  to  keep 
the  instrument  constantly  before  the  public.  This 
need  not  be  done  in  an  obtrusive  manner.  Indeed, 
some  salesmen  believe  that  the  best  way  of  dis- 
posing of  certain  comparatively  high-priced  goods 
that  are  not  absolute  necessities  is  by  appealing  to 
the  sub-conscious  minds  of  people.  Keep  the  Am- 
berola always  in  sight  of  those  who  pass  your 
store  and  it  never  will  be  entirely  out  of  their 
minds.  And  the  time  will  come  when  they  will 
feel  the  desire  to  own  an  Amberola  and  then  a 
prospect  will  have  been  created  for  you. 

Perhaps  by  seeing  the  instrument  in  all  of  your 
window  displays  they  come  to  feel  that  something 
is  lacking  when  they  enter  their  own  homes;  per- 
haps the  psychology  underlying  the  process  works 
along  some  other  line;  but  it  is  an  established  fact 
that  constant  suggestion  eventually  creates  desire, 
and  desire  finally  brings  you  a  customer. 

Such  advertising,  effective  as  it  is,  costs  you 
practically  nothing. 


ONE  AD   SOLD   HIM  OUT 
There  was  a  man  in  our  town, 

And  he  was  wondrous  wise, 
He  swore    (it  was  his  policy) 

He  would  not  advertise. 

But  one  sad  day  he  advertised, 

And  thereby  hangs  a  tale; 
The  ad  was  set  in  quite  small  type 

And   headed,   'Sheriff's   Sale." 

— Music  Trade  Review. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  SEPTEMBER,  1916 


AMBEROLA  SUPREME  IN  DIRECT 
COMPARISON 

LISTEN  to  this: 
"Just  a  little  sales  story  for  the  Phonograph 
Monthly.  Recently  a  lady  inquired  of  me  if  I 
could  get  her  a  Blank  (a  high  grade  talking- 
machine).  She  had  heard  one  several  times  and  a 
friend  had  one  and  that  was  the  kind  she  wanted. 
There  was  nothing  would  suit  her  better.  I  went 
over  the  merits  of  the  Amberola — the  diamond 
point,  tone  superiority,  helical  gear,  etc.,  and  gave 
her  a  demonstration,  but  she  was  not  convinced. 
Then  I  advised  her  to  be  cautious  in  buying  an 
instrument  and  to  take  plenty  of  time  in  deciding. 
I  had  no  Blanks  in  stock,  but  I  made  arrange- 
ments so  that  she  would  secure  a  direct  comparison 
on  her  next  trip  to  Chicago,  where  she  could  visit 
the  store  of  my  jobber  who  handled  not  only 
Amberolas  but  talking-machines.  She  went  to  the 
:ity  on  Friday  and  on  the  following  day  a  drayman 
delivered  an  Amberola  75  to  my  place  of  business. 
"I  knew  that  it  could  be  for  nobody  but  the  pros- 
pect   mentioned    above,    but,    as    she    had    been    so 


determined  to  get  a  talking-machine,  I  thought 
there  had  been  a  mistake  made  and  that  the  jobber 
had  shipped  the  wrong  make  of  instrument  to  me. 
So  I  went  to  see  her  before  delivering  the  instru- 
ment, in  order  to  be  sure  that  I  would  make  no 
mistake.  But  there  had  been  no  mistake.  The 
direct  comparison  test  had  done  effective  work  as 
usual.  She  told  me  that  she  wouldn't  own  a  talking- 
machine  after  hearing  an  Amberola  and  she 
thanked  me  repeatedly  for  advising  her  not  to  be 
hasty  and  to  give  the  Edison  a  fair  trial. 

"I  find  that  when  you  can  get  a  talking-machine 
in  direct  competition  with  an  Amberola,  the  latter 
always  wins  out.  I  used  to  handle  the  Blank  (a 
well-known  make  of  talking-machine)  as  well  as 
the  Edison,  but  I  found  that  I  could  not  sell  the 
former  in  comparison  with  the  Amberola.  I  am 
now  exclusively  Edison  and  I  am  firmly  in  favor 
of  direct  comparisons  as  the  result  of  my  past 
experiences.  The  more  competition  an  Amberola 
has,  the  more  its  superiority  is  proven." 

The  above  letter  was  written  by  Will  R.  Ausen- 
baum,  Amberola  dealer  at  Grant  Park,  111. 


"PREPAREDNESS" 

-IS  THE  ORDER  OF  THE  DAY! 

Fortify  Your  Home  Against  Dull  Days  and  Evenings  with  a 

NEW    EDISON 

DIAMOND  AMBEROLA 


Will  you  step  in  and  let  us 
tell  you  how  you  can  have  one 
of  these  wonderful  instruments? 


cfatfitz  ckvuouA  -form©  afenfc»Jcuiii»»enC" 


Here's  a  reproduction  of  a  timely  Amberola  hanger  that  says  something  and  says  it  good  and  strong.  Order 
from  your  jobber  and  put  it  in  your  window  where  it  will  talk  for  you  all  day  long,  day  in  and  day  out  without 
getting  tired;  a  standing  invitation  for  folks  to  come  in  and  get  a  taste  of  the  enjoyment  that  would  be  theirs  if 
the}-  only  had  a  Diamond  Amberola. 

This  hanger  is  Form  Xo.  3227.  When  you  order  also  ask  for  Form  Xo.  3199,  which  features  the  Amberola  50. 
Both  are  14x22  inches,  and  printed  in  dark  blue  and  orange. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  SEPTEMBER    1916 


Edison   Phonograph   Monthly 


Published  in  the  interest  of 

EDISON  AMBEROLA  PHONOGRAPHS 

AND 

BLUE  AMBEROL  RECORDS 

By  Thomas  A.  Edison,  Inc. 

ORANGE,  N.  J.,  U.  S.  A. 

Foreign  Offices: 

164  WARDOUR  ST.,  LONDON,  W.  ENGLAND 

364-372  KENT  STREET,  SYDNEY.  N.  S.  W. 

3  YORKSTRASSE,   BERLIN 
59  RUE  DES  PETITES-ECURIES,  PARIS 

Fall  approaches  with  the 
Harvest  Time  United  States  in  a  condition 
of  unparalleled  prosperity, 
and  the  "average  man"  now  has  more  money  in 
his  pocket  or  in  the  bank  than  ever  before.  For- 
tune has  smiled  on  the  whole  country  and  people 
of  all  classes  have  been  blessed  with  more  work 
and  more  profitable  work  than  at  any  previous 
time.  In  the  country  districts  conditions  are 
particularly  favorable  with  the  approach  of 
harvest  time.  The  prices  offered  for  all  kinds 
of  farm  produce  are  generous.  After  the  harvest 
is  in  the  farmers  of  America  are  going  to  be  in  a 
position  to  afford  even  more  luxuries  than  in  the 
past.  And  the  prosperity  of  the  agriculturists  is 
going  to  radiate  to  those  who  cater  to  their  desires 
and  who  provide  them  with  things  they  desire  and 
have  the  money  to  purchase. 

The  phonograph  is  peculiarly  adapted  to  farm 
life  and  the  rural  districts  of  this  country  will 
absorb  a  tremendous  number  of  these  instruments 
this  fall.  Some  of  this  business  will  come  to  deal- 
ers without  much  effort  on  their  part,  but  the  vast 
bulk  of  it  will  go  to  those  progressive  merchants 
who  make  active  efforts  to  stir  up  sales  by  early 
inaugurating  selling  campaigns  and  by  using  plenty 
of  advertising  matter.  With  the  newly  organized 
Amberola  Sales  Department  to  help  them,  Amber- 
ola  dealers  should  be  able  to  create  a  large  amount 
of  new  business  this  fall  and  revive  record  buy- 
ing among  the  owners  of  old-style  Edisons  by 
actively  marketing  the  four-minute  attachment. 
Start  now.  Circularize  your  territory  with  the 
material  we  are  ready  to  supply  you.  Use  news- 
paper space,  getting  cuts  from  our  advertising 
department.  Adopt  all  possible  means  of  bringing 
the  Amberola  line  to  the  attention  of  the  people 
in  your  district  and  you  will  surely  get  your  share 
of  the  general  prosperity. 


Indeed,  the  policy  of  keeping  a  "talker"  in  stock 
for  the  express  purpose  of  revealing  its  inferiority 
to  the  Amberola  seems  to  have  been  adopted  by 
many  dealers. 

Letters  that  are  received  from  such  merchants 
repeatedly  tell  of  sales  that  were  closed  only  when 
their  prospects  had  the  opportunity  of  hearing  a 
talking  machine  and  an  Amberola  at  the  same 
demonstration. 

When  a  prospect  challenges  the  merits  of  the 
Amberola,  arrange  for  a  direct  comparison  test, 
and  the  verdict  will  invariably  be  in  favor  of  the 
Amberola. 

The  Amberola  is  so  far  superior  to  any  "talker," 
even  the  most  expensive,  that  any  fair-minded 
prospect  cannot  but  admit  this  after  a  competitive 
demonstration.      

Amberola    dealers    who    be- 
Prillted  Matter  Heve  in  advertising  and  live 

up  to  their  belief  are  great! 
interested  in  the  increase  in  Amberola  advertisings 
matter  of  various  kinds  and  are  making  profitable 
use  of  this  material.  Are  you  one  of  these?  The 
new  Amberola  Sales  Department  has  brought  about 
a  resumption  of  activity  in  this  direction  and,  dur- 
ing the  past  couple  of  months,  a  number  of  very 
attractive  forms  have  been  designed  and  printed 
and  now  are  ready  for  distribution.  They  include 
display  hangers,  leaflets,  handbills,  etc.,  all  of 
which,  if  properly  used,  will  stimulate  Amberola 
sales. 

While  our  advertising  department  can  produce 
such  matter  and  place  it  in  the  hands  of  jobbers, 
it  cannot  hang  it  in  the  windows  of  dealers  or 
place  it  in  the  hands  of  your  prospective  customers. 
That  is  up  to  you,  and  if  you  are  taking  the  inter- 
est in  the  Amberola  line  that  you  should  take  you 
will  get  all  of  these  new  forms  from  your  jobber 
and  use  them  to  the  best  possible  advantage.  Ou£ 
interest  in  your  sales  leads  us  to  produce  th 
printed  matter,  and  certainly  your  interest  in  your- 
self should  lead  you  to  make  use  of  it. 


The  Edison  Diamond 
Comparison  Amberola     dealer     never 

need  hesitate  to  make  di- 
rect comparisons  with  talking  machines  in  demon- 
strating the  superiority  of  the  Amberola. 


When    you    examine    the 

Standing  Orders  October  list  of  Blue  Am- 

berol     Records     and     find 

that  there  are  no  numbers  on  it  that  you  can  afford 

to  omit  from  your  stock,  we  feel   certain  you  will 

send  your  jobber  an  order  for  the  complete  list. 

Why  not,  at  the  same  time,  insure  the  receipt  of 
the  complete  list  each  month  by  placing  a  standing 
order  under  which  you  will  receive  at  least  one  of 
each  new  number  on  the  monthly  supplements.  The 
high  Blue  Amberol  standard  that  has  been  estab- 
lished is  going  to  be  maintained  steadfastly.  The 
high  quality  of  each  record  is  going  to  create  a 
demand  for  it,  and  the  only  way  that  dealers  can 
take  complete  advantage  of  this  demand  is  to  order 
every  number  on  the  list  each  month. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  SEPTEMBER,  1916 


Doings  of  Edison  Artists 


THE  TOLLEFSEN  TRIO,  an  organization 
that  has  made  a  number  of  records  that  are 
very  popular  among  Amberola  owners,  recently 
ended  a  very  successful  tour  of  the  South.  Their 
itinerary  called  for  appearances  in  a  number  of 
musical  centers  and  their  superb  playing  on  each 
occasion  evoked  the  most  enthusiastic  praise.  At 
Knoxville,  Tenn.,  they  were  heard  in  connection 
with  the  Music  Festival,  and  in  commenting  on 
their  performance,  the  Knoxville  Sentinel  said: 
"One  noticed  at  once  the  splendid  ensemble  work 
of  the  trio,  each  member  of  which  is  a  talented  and 
efficient  artist,  well  equipped  technically,  yet  pos- 
sessing that  rare  gift  sometimes  called  soul  and 
sometimes  called   expression." 


Orville  Harrold  is  a  member  of  an  opera  com- 
pany that  is  appearing  at  Ravinia  Park  in  Chi- 
cago. The  season  at  this  "Bayreuth  of  America" 
was  opened  with  a  production  of  "Lucia  di  Lam- 
mermoor,"  in  which  Mr.  Harrold  appeared  as 
Edgardo.  "He  sang  with  fine  vocal  control  and 
good  musicianship  ;  his  voice  is  of  beautiful  qual- 
ity and  powerful,"  comments  Musical  America  on 
the  work  of  Mr.  Harrold  in  this  production. 


Albert  Spalding,  the  famous  American  violinist 
and  one  of  the  foremost  exponents  of  American 
music,  has  been  engaged  this  summer  in 
setting  to  music  some  of  the  poems  of  James 
Whitcomb  Riley,  the  noted  poet  who  recently  died. 
Mr.  Spalding  also  has  been  providing  musical  set- 
tings for  some  of  the  verses  of  Eugene  Field, 
another  American  who  produced  some  very  popu- 
lar and  appealing  poetry.  Mr.  Spalding  believes 
that  America  and  American  life  offer  an  endless 
variety  of  musical  themes  of  the  finest  kind,  and 
his  musical  compositions  are  all  based  on  sugges- 
tions he  has  received  during  his  travels  and  studies 
in  this  country. 

Herman  Sandby,  the  Danish  'cellist,  appeared 
at  the  first  concert  of  the  season  to  be  given  in  the 
Building  of  Fine  Arts  at  Bar  Harbor,  Me.,  and 
the  program  of  Scandinavian  folk-song  composi- 
tions and  other  numbers  that  he  gave  charmed  a 
large  and  exclusive  audience.  Indeed,  the  audi- 
ence, including  a  large  number  of  noted  musicians, 
was  a  feature  of  the  concert.  Among  those  who 
heard  and  applauded  Mr.  Sandby's  wonderful 
renditions  were  Fritz  Kreisler,  Harold  Bauer,  Carl 
Friedburg,  Walter  Damrosch,  Ernest  Schelling, 
Ethel  Leginska,  Olga  Samaroff,  Frank  Rogers, 
Marcia  Van  Dresser,  Harold  Randolph  and  Was- 
sily   Besekirsky. 


Elsie  Baker,  the  widely  known  contralto,  is  ful- 
filling a  series  of  sixty  engagements  for  the  Red- 
path  Chautauqua  Bureau  under  the  handicap  of 
being  obliged  to  sing  from  a  wheel  chair.  Miss 
Baker  started  out  on  her  tour  on  June  27,  and 
three  days  later  she  had  the  misfortune  to  sprain 
her  ankle  severely.  She  continued  to  fulfill  her 
engagements,  however,  and  everywhere  her  voice 
and  her  pluck  won  her  great  applause.  In  order 
to  make  it  as  easy  and  convenient  as  possible  for 
her  the  Redpath  Bureau  has  provided  her  with  an 
automobile  which  she  will  use  in  covering  her 
itinerary. 

Frederick  Martin  appeared  as  a  soloist  in  the 
annual  music  festival  of  the  Marysville  (Ohio) 
Choral  Union.  The  noted  basso  appeared  on  this 
occasion  in  "A  Tale  of  Old  Japan,"  the  Coleridge- 
Taylor  cantata,  and  made  a  deep  impression  by 
his  splendid  rendition  of  the  part. 


Christine  Miller  is  spending  a  long  and  delight- 
ful vacation  in  the  open  air  this  summer.  Dur- 
ing the  early  part  of  the  season  she  was  in 
Magnolia,  Mass.,  where  she  found  pleasure  in  all 
the  diversions  that  summer  at  a  seaside  resort 
offers.  At  the  present  time  she  is  in  the  Adiron- 
dacks  on  Tupper  Lake,  continuing  her  active  and 
refreshing  vacation.  One  of  the  favorite  con- 
traltos of  America,  Miss  Miller  is  preparing  for 
an  unusually  large  number  of  engagements  during 
the  coming  winter. 

The  Handel  and  Haydn  Society  of  Boston  is 
one  of  the  most  noted  and  exclusive  musical  organi- 
zations of  the  country,  and  it  is  no  small  honor  to 
be  engaged  to  sing  at  any  of  the  performances  held 
under  its  auspices.  Reed  Miller,  a  well  known 
Edison  artist,  frequently  appears  with  this  noted 
organization,  however,  and  it  has  been  announced 
that  he  will  participate  in  a  rendition  of  the 
"Messiah"  to  be  given  by  the  society  December  17th 
and  18th.  Mr.  Miller  is  now  filling  engagements 
on  a  Chautauqua  tour,  appearing  with  his  wife, 
Nevada  Van  der  Veer  Miller. 


Anita  Rio  will  be  one  of  the  members  of  a  very 
exclusive  art  colony  which  has  been  established  in 
Bronxville,  N.  Y.,  as  she  and  her  husband  have 
taken  an  apartment  for  the  winter  in  that  locality. 


Paul  Althouse,  the  Metropolitan  Opera  Com- 
pany tenor,  will  appear  in  a  joint  recital  with 
Zabetta  Brenska  in  Dayton,  Ohio,  in  October. 


10 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  SEPTEMBER,  1916 


Musical  Merriment 


NO  JOKE 

Referee  in  Bankruptcy — "What  was  the  cause  of 
your  failure  in  business?" 

Manufacturer — "Advertising." 

Referee — "What!      How's  that?" 

Manufacturer — "I  let  my  competitor  do  it  all." — 
Music  Trades. 


A   SOCIAL   EVENING 

During  a  social  evening  a  woman  sang  for  the 
guests.  One  of  the  guests  turned  to  a  meek-looking 
little  man  sitting  at  his  side  and  said: 

"How  awful!     Who  can  she  be?" 

"That,"  replied  the  man  addressed,  "is  my  wife." 

"Oh,  I  b-b-beg  your  pardon!"  stuttered  the  other. 
"She's  really  a — I  know  she'd  sing  beautifully  if 
she  made  a  better  selection  of  her  music.  Who  do 
you  suppose  wrote  that  song?" 

"I  am  the  author  of  that  song!"  replied  the  meek- 
looking  little  man. 


DOUBTED  IT 

Office  Boy  (in  music  dealer's  store) — "Wotcher 
doin'  lookin'  at  the  office  wot  fired  you  last  week? 
Tryin'  to  get  back,  eh?" 

The  Fired  One — "Naw,  I  jes'  dropped  roun'  to 
see  if  they  wuz  still  in  bizness." — Music  Trade 
Review. 


HOSPITABLE 

Mr.  Hoggenheim — "Come  and  dine  with  me  to- 
morrow?" 

Mr.  Walker — "Sorry,  I'm  fixed  up ;  I'm  going  to 
see  'Parsifal.'  " 

Mr.  Hoggenheim — "That's  all  right;  bring  'im 
alor.,5  with  you." — The  Taller. 


THE   ETERNAL   FEMININE 
"Your   daughter   seems   assiduous   enough   at   the 

piano.     I  thought  you  couldn't  get  her  to  practice." 
"That  was   before   she   found   out  how   much   it 

annoyed  our  neighbors." — Pittsburgh  Post. 


CLOSE  HARMONY 

A  metropolitan  theatrical  production  which  car- 
ried its  own  orchestra  played  a  small  town.  As 
the  theatre  had  an  orchestra  of  its  own,  they 
"doubled  up."  One  night  there  was  an  awful  dis- 
cord, and  the  man  in  charge  of  the  production 
noticed  that  the  local  musicians  were  playing  half 
a  tone  lower  than  the  company's  orchestra. 

"What's  the  matter?"  whispered  the  producer  to 
the  orchestra  leader.  "Your  men  are  playing  half 
a  tone  lower  than  the  others." 

"Sure,  they  are,"  said  the  leader.  "That's  the 
only  way  we  can  let  the  audience  know  that  we've 
got  two  orchestras." — Musical  America. 


DISPENSARY  ESTABLISHED  AT 
EDISON  FACTORIES 

THE  establishment  of  a  medical  and  surgical 
dispensary  at  the  Edison  factories  is  a  recent 
innovation.  The  dispensary  is  for  employees  who 
are  injured  or  taken  sick  while  at  work.  It  is  in 
charge  of  Dr.  A.  Daniell,  a  well  known  physician 
of  East  Orange,  N.  J.,  who  is  at  present  assisted 
by  a  trained  nurse.  Arrangements  are  being  made 
by  which  a  corps  of  seven  first-aid  experts  will  be- 
come connected  with  the  work  in  the  course  of  a 
few  months.  The  institution  will  be  of  the  greatest 
value  to  the  employees  of  the  company,  and  many 
expressions  of  appreciation  from  them  already  have 
been  heard. 

No  expense  has  been  spared  in  equipping  the 
plant  dispensary,  and  it  contains  a  complete  set  of 
modern  surgical  devices.  Among  the  instruments 
is  a  powerful  magnet  that  will  be  used  to  extract 
steel  splinters  from  the  eye  or  from  other  parts  of 
the  body  they  may  pierce.  Other  surgical  appa- 
ratus, much  of  it  of  a  very  costly  nature,  has  been 


provided  and  every  arrangement  for  the  prompt 
use  of  it  in  case  of  emergency  made.  In  addition 
to  the  surgical  apparatus,  there  is  a  complete  medi- 
cal equipment. 

One  of  the  hobbies  of  Mr.  Edison  is  the  study  of 
the  conditions  under  which  his  employees  work, 
and  their  improvement  wherever  possible.  Because 
it  is  impossible  to  prevent  all  accidents  or  to  safe- 
guard against  attacks  of  illness,  Mr.  Edison  ordered 
the  establishment  of  the  new  dispensary. 


PHONOGRAPHS  FOR  TROOPS  ON 
BORDER 

Massachusetts  militiamen  on  the  Mexican  bor- 
der are  enjoying  phonograph  music  through  the 
efforts  of  the  members  of  the  Special  Aid  Society 
for  American  Preparedness  of  Boston.  The  organi- 
zation recently  sent  four  phonographs  and  a  large 
assortment  of  records  to  the  soldiers  who  now  are 
enjoying  at  least  one  comfort  of  home. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  SEPTEMBER,  1916 


11 


IT  PAYS  TO  AMBEROLIZE  OLD- 
STYLE  EDISONS 

WE  do  not  believe  that  many  Amberola  deal- 
ers realize  the  importance  of  making  vigor- 
ous   efforts    to    Amberolize    the    old-style    Edison 


To  Owners  of  EDISON 

Cylinder  Phonographs! 

Can  You  Play 

Blue  Amberol  Records 

On  Your  Instrument? 

If  you  cannot,  and  will 
tell  us  the  style  and  type 
you  own,  we  will  tell  you 
how  to  get  an  inexpensive 
attachment  to  put  on  your 
instrument  that  will  bring 
it  right  up  to  date. 


WHY  NOT    ENJOY 

THESE  WONDERFUL   NEW 

BLUE 

AMBEROL 

RECORDS? 

COME   IN  TODAY 


(Dealer's  Name  and  Address) 


3245 


phonographs  that  are  in  their  territories. 

We  do  not  believe  the  results  that  follow  the 
sale  of  attachments  have  been  considered  by  many 
dealers  as  carefully  as  they  should  be. 

Some  dealers  do  not  like  to  see  an  Edison  owner 
purchase  an  attachment,  because  they  take  it  for 
granted  that  such  a  sale  loses  them  a  prospect  who 
possibly  might  have  bought  a  new  instrument. 
You  who  have  done  this  have  been  sacrificing  the 
certainty  of  selling  attachments,  with  the  conse- 
quent increase  in  record  business,  to  the  uncer- 
tainty of  selling  new  instruments.  And  you  have 
lost  in  many  ways  by  the  adoption  of  such  a 
policy. 


What  has  been  the  result  of  such  an  attitude? 
Prospects  to  whom  you  might  have  sold  attach- 
ments, had  you  really  tried,  have  gone  out  and 
looked  over  the  disc  market — a  market  in  which 
they  have  at  least  a  score  of  various  makes  of 
instruments  to  select  from.  They  have  bought 
disc  instruments.  Maybe  they  were  Edisons  and 
maybe  they  were  not.  But  whatever  they  bought, 
you  have  lost  their  record  trade  and  let  them  go 
out  of  the  market  for  Blue  Amberol  Records. 

Now  suppose  you  had  made  active  efforts  to 
equip  every  old-style  phonograph  in  your  terri- 
tory with  the  four-minute  attachment.  You  would 
have  sold  a  large  number  of  attachments  and  you 
would  be  the  richer  for  the  profits  on  these  sales, 
and  you  would  have  kept  a  large  number  of  phono- 
graph owners  in  the  market  for  Blue  Amberol 
records.  But,  most  important  of  all,  you  would 
have  laid  the  foundation  for  future  sales  of  Dia- 
mond Amberolas.  Each  attachment  sold  leads  the 
owner  of  the  Amberolized  phonograph  to  buy  a 
large  number  of  records  and  a  person  who  pos- 
sesses a  fine  collection  of  Blue  Amberols  is  not 
likely  to  sacrifice  it  by  purchasing  a  disc  instru- 
ment. But  some  day  he  is  going  to  buy  a  new 
instrument,  and  when  he  does  this,  it  is  going  to 
be  an  Edison  Diamond  Amberola,  and  the  sale 
will  be  greatly  aided  by  the  fact  that  he  has  a 
valuable  library  of  Blue  Amberols.  Therein  lies 
the  importance  of  waging  an  active  campaign  to 
sell    these    attachments. 

In  order  to  assist  dealers  in  bringing  the  attach- 
ments to  the  attention  of  the  owners  of  two-minute 
Phonographs,  we  have  prepared  newspaper  adver- 
tising copy.  A  single  column  ad  is  reproduced 
herewith,  and  there  is  a  two-column  ad,  similar  in 
copy  and  design.  Proofs  of  either  or  both  of  these 
ads  will  be  furnished  dealers  for  pushing  the  sale 
of  the  attachments.  Address  the  Advertising 
Department  of  Thomas  A.  Edison,  Inc.,  Orange, 
N.  J.  The  form  number  of  the  single  column  ad 
is  3245,  and  that  of  the  two-column  ad  3246.  These 
numbers  should  be  used  in  making  requests  for 
these  proofs. 


TO  COUNTY  FAIR 
EXHIBITORS: 

If  you  have  a  county  fair  exhibit  this 
year  will  you  send  the  Editor  of  the 
PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY  a  picture  of 
your  booth,  together  with  an  article 
describing  the  benefits  derived  from 
your  exhibit?  We  want  county  fair 
pictures  and  articles  for  a  future  issue 
and  especially  want  a  contribution  from 
YOU. 


12 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  SEPTEMBER,  1916 


Songs   of   Hawaii   and   Other    Popular  Numbers 

Feature  October  List 


THE  appearance  on  the  October  list  of  Blue 
Amberol  records  of  five  songs  and  one  in- 
strumental number  characteristic  of  the  music  of 
Hawaii  gives  Amberola  dealers  an  opportunity  to 
make  a  highly  profitable  drive  on  the  class  of  music 
that,  at  the  present  time,  seems  to  have  the  musical 
fancy  of  the  record-buying  public  captivated.  All 
of  the  Hawaiian  numbers  on  the  list  are  popular 
hits,  and  advertising  and  window  displays  in  which 
they  are  featured  are  bound  to  bring  large  returns 
to  enterprising  dealers.  Among  the  best  known  of 
these  numbers  are  "I  Lost  My  Heart  in  Honolulu," 
written  by  the  author  of  "Are  You  from  Dixie?", 
and  "I  Left  Her  on  the  Beach  at  Honolulu."  The 
first  is  sung  by  George  Wilton  Ballard,  and  Walter 
Van  Brunt  and  a  chorus  render  the  other.  Both 
songs  and  singers  are  deservedly  popular,  and  any 
investment  of  money  or  efforts  in  bringing  them 
to  the  attention  of  Amberola  owners  will  pay  excel- 
lent dividends. 

"You're  a  Dangerous  Girl,"  which  is  the  domi- 
nating song  hit  of  the  present  time,  also  is  included 
in  the  October  list — a  list  replete  with  popular 
numbers.  Among  the  other  October  numbers  that 
people  the  country  over  are  singing  and  whistling 
are  "Way  Down  in  Borneo-o-o-o,"  "When  Priscilla 
Tries  to  Reach  High  C,"  and  "Down  Where  the 
Swanee  River  Flows."  Although  numbers  of  a 
popular  type  predominate,  they  do  not  exclude  the 
superb  classics  that  are  being  made  for  Amberola 
owners    who    are    fond    of    operatic    and    classical 


music.  The  list  contains  the  names  of  Marie 
Rappold,  Jacques  Urlus  and  Julia  Heinrich,  all  of 
the  Metropolitan  Opera  Company.  Rappold  and 
Urlus  have  a  duet  in  "Wenn  die  Schwalben  heim- 
warts  zieh'n,"  and  Urlus  is  heard  alone  in  "O 
Schone  Zeit,  o  sel'ge  Zeit!"  Miss  Heinrich's  con- 
tribution to  the  list  is  a  superb  rendition  of  "A 
Spring  Morning,"  a  beautiful  and  widely  known 
classic. 

Among  the  twenty-six  selections  that  make  up 
the  list  are  many  other  attractive  numbers  of  vari- 
ous kinds.  "La  Paloma,"  which  has  a  fascinating 
melody  irresistible  in  its  charm,  is  sung  by  Thomas 
Chalmers,  of  the  Boston  National  Opera  Company, 
assisted  by  a  chorus.  This  is  a  record  that  will  be 
a  consistent  seller  for  a  long  time  to  come.  In  thf 
same  class  is  "For  All  Eternity,"  the  lovely  son& 
by  Mascheroni,  which  is  rendered  by  James  Har- 
rod.  Creatore  and  His  Band,  the  world-renowned 
musical  organization  that  made  its  debut  in  the 
Blue  Amberol  catalog  on  the  September  list,  con- 
tributes "Marche  Indienne"  to  the  October  list.  A 
record  that  is  novel,  timely  and  impressive  is  a 
recitation  of  "Our  National  Flag"  by  Harry  E. 
Humphrey.  While  Mr.  Humphrey  recites  the 
words  of  the  declamation  he  is  accompanied  by  the 
Choir  Boys  of  St.  Ignatius  Loyola,  who  softly  sing 
"The  Star  Spangled  Banner." 

Examine  the  list  below  and  then  put  in  an 
order  that  will  include  at  least  one  of  every  selec- 
tion listed.     Every  record  is  a  profit-producer. 


BLUE  AMBEROL  RECORDS  FOR  OCTOBER 


CONCERT 

28242  Wenn  die  Schwalben  heimwarts  zieh'n,  Abt,  Soprano  and  Tenor,  in  German,  orch.  ace. 

Marie  Rappold  and  Jacques  Urlus 

28243  O  Schone  Zeit,  o  sel'ge  Zeit!  Gotze,  Tenor,  in  German,  orch.  ace.  Jacques  Urlus 

28244  Spring  Morning,    Wilson,  Soprano,  orch.  ace.  Julia  Heinrich 


2964 
2965 

2966 
2967 
2968 
2969 
2970 
2971 
2972 
2973 
2974 
2975 
2976 
2977 
2978 
2979 
2980 
2981 
2982 
2983 
2984 

2985 


REGULAR 

Fair  Hawaii,    Kvtz,  Soprano  and  Tenor,  orch.  ace.  Gladys  Fice  and  Walter  Van  Brunt 

Oh!  How  She  Could  Yacki  Hacki  Wicki  Wacki  Woo,   (That's  Love  in  Honolu),  A.  Von  Tilzer,  orch.  ace. 

Arthur  Collins  and  Byron  G.   Harlan 


Waters  of  Venice  Waltz,  A.  Von  Tilzer,  for  Dancing 

Walkin'   the  Dog — Fox  Trot,  Brooks-Shrigley,  for  Dancing 

Gay  Gossoon,    Kendall,  Banjo,  orch.  ace. 

Down  Where  the  Swanee  River  Flows,  A.  Von  Tilzer,  Tenor,  orch.  ace. 

Dublin  Mary  Brown,    Hill,  Tenor,  orch.  ace. 

On    the   Beach   Medley 

Luana  Lou,  Stamper,  Tenor,  orch.  ace. 

Way  Down  in  Borneo-o-o-o,    Piantadosi,  Tenor,  orch.  ace. 

You're  a  Dangerous  Girl,   Monaco,  Contralto  and  Baritone,  orch.  a.ccL 

Shades  of  Night,  Friedland-Franhlin,  Soprano  and  Tenor,  orch.  aec 

Lily  and  the  Frog,  Olman,  orch.  ace. 

La  Paloma   (The  Dove),    Yradier,  Baritone,  orch.  ace. 

I  Lost  My  Heart  in  Honolulu,  Cobb,  Tenor,  orch.  ace. 

When  Priscilla  Tries  to  Reach  High  C,    //.  Von  Tilzer,  orch.  ace. 

Stormy  Sea  of  Love,   Carroll,  Tenor,  orch.   aec. 

Hospital  Patients,  Coon  sketch 

I  Left  Her  on  the  Beach  at  Honolulu,    Ilirsch,  Tenor,  orch.  ace. 

For  All  Eternity,    Mascheroni,  Tenor,  orch.  ace. 


Jaudas'  Society  Orchestra 

National  Promenade  Band 

Vess  L.  Ossman 

George  Wilton  Ballard  and  Chorus 

Irving  Kaufman  and  Chorus 

Waikiki  Hawaiian  Orchestra 

Walter  Van  Brunt 

Leonard  T.   Chick 

Helen  Clark  and  Joseph  A.  Phillips 

Elizabeth  Spencer  and  Walter  Van  Brunt 

Arthur  Collins  and  Byron  G.   Harlan 

Thomas  Chalmers  and  Chorus 

George  Wilton  Ballard  and  Chorus 

Ada  Jones  and   Billy  Murray 

Irving  Kaufman 

Billy  Golden  and  James  Marlowe 

Walter  Van  Brunt  and  Chorus 

James  Harrod 


Our  National   Song — Star   Spangled   Banner    (Descriptive) 

Harry  E.  Humphrey  and  Choir  Boys  of  St.  Ignatius  Loyola 
Marche  Indienne    (Hindoo  March)   Sellenick  Creatore  and  His  Band 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  SEPTEMBER,  1916 


13 


Who's  Who  in  the    Blue  Amberol  List 

for  October 


JACQUES  URLUS,  TENOR 

JACQUES  URLUS,  whose  portrait  appears  on 
the  front  cover  of  this  issue,  is  conceded  to  be 
one  of  the  greatest  dramatic  tenors  of  the  present 
generation  of  singers.  He  is  a  great  favorite  with 
the  audiences  of  the  Metropolitan  Opera.  He  made 
his  debut  in  the  Metropolitan  Opera  House  in  1912 
and  scored  a  great  success  upon  his  first  appear- 
ance. Since  then  he  has  been  before  the  public 
constantly  and  steadily  his  work  has  been  im- 
proving. He  has  made  a  specialty  of  the  singing 
of  Wagnerian  roles  and  his  greatest  triumphs  have 
been  won  in  the  heavy  dramatic  parts  in  which  the 
operas  of  Wagner  abound.  He  is  remarkable  for 
his  close  approach  to  perfection  in  all  the  qualities 
iat  enter  into  the  making  of  a  great  operatic 
singer.  The  purity  and  volume  of  his  voice,  his 
unfaltering  tone  placement  and  his  genius  as  an 
interpreter  all  combine  to  make  him  a  dominant 
figure  among  the  great  dramatic  tenors  of  the 
world.  Both  the  duet  with  Marie  Rappold  and 
the  solo  number  by  which  he  is  represented  on  the 
October  Blue  Amberol  list  are  superb  examples  of 
the  power  and  charm  of  his  beautiful  voice. 

MARIE   RAPPOLD,    SOPRANO 

Marie  Rappold,  the  famous  Ameri- 
can prima  donna  soprano  of  the 
Metropolitan  Opera  Company,  has 
won  her  way  into  a  most  exalted 
position  in  the  musical  world  solely 
on  the  merits  of  her  wonderful 
voice.  A  product  of  America  and 
American  institutions,  she  made 
her  debut  at  the  Metropolitan 
Opera  House  a  comparatively  few 
seasons  ago  in  the  role  of  Sulamith 
a  "The  Queen  of  Sheba."  Her  work  in  that  part 
Drought  her  fame  over  night,  and  since  that  time 
she  has  retained  all  the  honors  that  she  won  on  that 
occasion  and  added  to  her  laurels  each  season. 
Mme.  Rappold  never  studied  in  Europe  and  most 
of  her  training  was  secured  under  Oscar  Saenger, 
of  New  York.  It  was  her  singing  in  a  Schiller 
festival  in  Brooklyn  that  brought  her  to  the  atten- 
tion of  the  Metropolitan  authorities  and  that 
brought  her  a  contract  under  which  she  made  her 
triumphant  appearance  in  the  noted  auditorium. 
Her  voice,  rich  and  pure,  is  heard  to  wonderful 
effect  in  "Wenn  die  Schwalben  heimwarts  zieh'n," 
a  duet  with  the  famous  Jacques  Urlus,  which  is  on 
the  October  list  of  Blue  Amberol  records. 

JAMES  MARLOWE,  COMEDIAN 

James  Marlowe  is  well  known  to  Amberola 
owners.  He  has  been  listed  among  Edison  enter- 
tainers for  many  years  and  his  records  have  been 
very  popular.  He  came  to  Edison  from  the  vau- 
deville  stage,  where  he  was   recognized   as  one  of 


the  most  clever  and  capable  of  blackface  comedians 
and  rapid-fire  conversationalists.  For  years  he  has 
been  associated  with  Billy  Golden,  and  this  team 
has  a  reputation  for  funmaking  unsurpassed.  The 
art  of  getting  over  humorous  dialog  is  a  difficult 
one,  even  on  the  stage,  and  it  is  particularly  difficult 
to  create  laughter  through  the  medium  of  the 
phonograph.  The  settings  and  costumes  that  lend 
so  much  to  vaudeville  sketches  are  altogether  lack- 
ing, and  the  effect  depends  entirely  on  the  intrinsic 
merit  of  the  performer  and  the  selection. 

Mr.  Marlowe  has  a  flexibility  of  voice  and  a 
range  of  experience  that  make  him  perfectly  fitted 
for  such  work.  His  material  always  is  carefully 
chosen  and  the  records  he  makes  with  Mr.  Golden 
are  worthy  of  a  place  in  any  collection. 

HARRY  E.  HUMPHREY,  ELOCUTIONIST 
Harry  E.  Humphrey,  the  noted  elo- 
cutionist and  character  actor,  is  an 
old  and  very  popular  Edison  artist. 
He  was  born  in  San  Francisco  in 
the  late  70's  and  started  his  stage 
career  in  that  city.  After  spending 
a  number  of  years  in  the  West  he 
came  East  in  1901  and  immediately 
won  a  reputation  with  his  wonder- 
ful character  depictions.  Since 
then  he  has  been  associated  with 
many  noted  players,  among  them  being  Dorothy 
Donnelly,  Frances  Starr,  Laura  Hope  Crews,  Dan- 
iel Bandman,  Wright  Lorrimore  and  William  H. 
Crane.  Many  will  remember  him  by  his  appear- 
ance as  "Scrooge"  in  a  vaudeville  adaptation  of 
Dickens'  "Christmas  Carol,"  which  was  presented 
on  the  Orpheum  Circuit  in  vaudeville  during  the 
season  of  1911-1912.  Mr.  Humphrey  has  made  a 
careful  study  of  the  art  of  reciting  and  his  diction 
and  expression  are  unexcelled.  On  the  October 
list  of  Blue  Amberol  records  he  is  represented  by 
a  recitation  of  the  patriotic  lines  of  "Our  National 
Song."  As  an  accompaniment  to  the  words  of  the 
declamation  the  choir  boys  of  St.  Ignatius  Loyola 
are  heard  singing  "The  Star  Spangled  Banner." 
Other  timely  records  by  Mr.  Humphrey  listed  in 
the  Blue  Amberol  catalog  are  recitations  of  "An 
Old  Sweetheart  of  Mine"  and  "Out  to  Old  Aunt 
Mary's,"  both  poems  by  the  late  James  Whitcomb 
Riley. 


CHICK,  TENOR 


LEONARD   T. 

Leonard  T.  Chick,  a  prominent 
vaudeville  singer  who  makes  his 
debut  as  an  Edison  artist  on  the 
October  list  of  Blue  Amberol  rec- 
ords, was  born  in  Washington, 
D.  C,  in  1882,  and  at  the  age  of 
thirteen  years  had  acquired  such  a 
reputation  that  he  was  known  as 
"Washington's  Boy  Soprano."  As 
he  grew  older  and  his  voice  became 
settled  he  found  himself  the  pos- 
sessor of  a  tenor  voice  that  was  remarkable  for  its 
range,  strength  and  sweetness.  It  excels  particu- 
larly in  the  first  quality.  While  still  a  boy  he  be- 
came a  favorite  along  the  Atlantic  seaboard,  and 
for    some    years    he    appeared    during    the    summer 


14 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  SEPTEMBER,  1916 


season  at  Atlantic  City  as  tenor  soloist  with  the 
concert  bands  playing  there. 

While  Mr.  Chick  is  a  superb  singer,  his  musical 
talents  also  include  the  gift  of  composition  and  he 
has  written  several  songs  of  the  popular  variety. 
There  are  few  people  who  will  not  recollect  the 
hit  made  by  "My  Dream  of  the  U.  S.  A.,"  the  song 
sensation  of  1908-09.  Mr.  Chick  was  the  author  of 
that  song  as  well  as  the  writer  of  "Your  Barney's 
Coming  Home,"  an  Irish  march  song  which  won 
for  him  the  highest  honors  in  a  song  and  singing 
contest  held  in  New  York  in  1914.  On  this  occa- 
sion the  majority  of  the  leading  song  writers  of 
this  country  appeared  and  sang  their  own  songs. 
The  judges  decided  that  Mr.  Chick  had  the  best 
song  and  that  his  vocal  abilities  were  superior  to 
those  of  his  competitors. 

His  gifts  as  a  song  writer  and  a  singer  naturally 
led  him  into  vaudeville  engagements,  and  for  the 
past  eight  years  much  of  his  time  has  been  spent 
on  the  stage.  He  is  particularly  well  known  and 
admired  in  the  South,  where  his  vaudeville  tours 
have  taken  him  for  five  consecutive  years. 

JAMES  HARROD,  TENOR 
James  Harrod,  the  young  tenor  who 
has  come  into  prominence  through 
his  splendid  work  during  the  past 
few  seasons,  is  a  graduate  of  the 
College  of  Music  of  Cincinnati,  and 
it  was  in  that  institution  that  he 
laid  the  foundation  of  a  career  that 
has  been  remarkably  successful  in 
the  past  and  that  promises  great 
things  for  the  future.  Graduating 
from  the  Cincinnati  Conservatory 
in  1911,  he  immediately  went  to  Europe,  following 
the  advice  of  Frank  Van  Der  Stucken,  the  well- 
known  vocal  authority.  He  located  in  Paris  and 
became  a  pupil  of  the  noted  Jean  de  Reszke,  his 
efforts  being  directed  toward  fitting  himself  for 
an  operatic  career.  Gifted  with  a  superb  voice 
and  having  the  temperament  that  is  so  essential  to 
success  on  the  stage,  he  soon  proved  himself  capa- 
ble of  the  highest  class  of  work  and,  at  the  time 
the  European  war  broke  out,  was  preparing  to  fill 
an  engagement  with  the  Covent  Garden  Opera  in 
London. 

The  war,  however,  made  necessary  his  return 
to  America,  where  his  ability  brought  him  imme- 
diate recognition.  Andreas  Dippel,  the  widely 
known  impresario,  engaged  Mr.  Harrod  for  a 
season  of  Opera  Comique,  and  this  brought  him 
into  further  prominence.  Going  into  concert  work, 
he  found  a  strong  demand  for  his  services,  and 
during  the  season  of  1915-1916  he  appeared  at 
many  of  the  largest  music  festivals  of  the  country. 
His  appearances  almost  invariably  are  followed  by 
requests  for  return   engagements. 


NEW  CONCRETE  ADDITION   TO 
ORANGE  PLANT 

THE  rapid  increase  in  the  demand  for  Edison 
phonographs  and  records  that  has  developed 
in  the  past  few  months  has  made  imperative  the 
expansion  of  the  manufacturing  and  storage  facili- 
ties at  the  Orange  factories,  and  it  recently  was 
announced  by  the  management  that  arrangements 
for    the    erection    of    an    additional    building    have 


been  completed.  The  proposed  structure  will  be 
used  for  record  storing  and  shipping  purposes  and 
it  will  relieve  the  congestion  that  has  developed 
in  other  buildings  because  of  the  lack  of  adequate 
storage  room.  It  will  be  of  cement  and  steel  con- 
struction, three  stories  in  height,  sixty-nine  feet 
wide  by  two  hundred  and  twenty-one  feet  long. 
The  contract  calls  for  the  completion  of  the  work 
about  October  15, 

The  new  building  will  replace  a  one-story  struc- 
ture erected  after  the  fire  of  December,  1915,  and 
which  was  adequate  for  the  purpose  it  was  de- 
signed for  until  a  few  months  ago,  when  con- 
stantly increasing  business  reached  a  point  where 
it   became    absolutely   inadequate. 


SAYS  AMBEROLA  LINE  IS  MORE 
ACTIVE  THAN  DISC 

TAKING  on  the  Amberola  line  in  order  t 
supplement  the  Edison  Disc  line,  the  G.  E\ 
Hain  Company,  of  Fremont,  Mich.,  have  found  that 
the  demand  for  Amberola  instruments  and  Blue 
Amberol  records  exceeds  the  demand  for  Edison 
Disc  instruments  and  records  within  their  zone  of 
operations. 

"In  reply  to  your  letter  regarding  our  taking  on 
the  Amberola  line,"  states  a  letter  from  R.  C. 
Hain,  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  G.  E.  Hain 
Company,  "we  were  induced  to  do  this  because  of 
the  demand  for  cheaper  instruments  than  we  could 
furnish  in  the  Edison  Disc  line.  We  are  situated 
in  a  community  where  the  interest  of  our  cus- 
tomers mostly  is  centered  in  farming,  and  we  find 
that  a  majority  of  our  trade  look  for  Edison 
instruments  and  records  of  the  Amberol  type 
because  of  their  low  price. 

"The  Amberola  line  seems  to  be  more  active  for 
us  than   the   Disc   line." 


PHONOGRAPH  MUSIC  FOR 
PLAGUE  SUFFERERS 

A  powerful  recommendation  of  the  phonograph 
as  a  diverting  and  entertaining  instrument  was 
that  recently  made  by  Dr.  Haven  Emerson,  Com- 
missioner of  Health  of  New  York  City,  when  he 
issued  an  appeal  for  the  donation  or  loan  of  instru- 
ments to  be  used  for  the  benefit  of  sufferers  from 
infantile  paralysis.  The  hundreds  of  little  patients 
in  the  hospitals  of  the  Metropolis  had  no  means  of 
amusement  and  it  was  decided  that  the  phono- 
graph would  afford  the  best  form  of  diversion. 
The  response  on  the  part  of  the  public  was  immedi- 
ate and  generous  and  the  phonograph  played  an 
important  part  in  alleviating  the  tedious  hours 
that  many  of  the  little  sufferers  spent  in  confine- 
ment. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  SEPTEMBER,  1916 


15 


ORGANIZATIONS  GOOD  FIELD 
FOR  DEMONSTRATIONS 

MANY  dealers  have  increased  their  sales  of 
Diamond  Amberolas  and  Blue  Amberol 
records  by  taking  advantage  of  every  opportunity 
to  give  demonstrations  where  people  are  gath- 
ered in  considerable  numbers. 

But  has  this  field  been  worked  for  all  its  pos- 
sibilities? Are  Amberolas  being  demonstrated 
under  such  circumstances  as  frequently  as  they 
might  be? 

There  are  but  few  gatherings  of  members  of 
social  clubs,  secret  orders,  or  various  other  organi- 
zations at  which  a  good  program  of  Blue  Amberol 
selections  would  not  be  a  welcome  addition  to  the 
entertainment  of  the  evening.  The  daily  papers 
contain  announcements  of  such  functions  and,  by 
watching  the  news,  dealers  can  keep  informed  as 
to  coming  gatherings  where  it  would  be  good 
policy  to  demonstrate  the  Diamond  Amberola.  Do 
not  feel  obliged  to  wait  until  someone  asks  you  if 
you  will  bring  an  instrument  and  some  records  and 


assist  in  the  entertainment.  Make  every  effort  to 
open  a  way  for  yourself  to  be  among  those  present 
wherever  you  can  give  a  demonstration  that  surely 
means  publicity  for  you  and  that,  in  all  probability, 
will  net  you  some  profit. 

By  gauging  the  program  of  records  you  take 
according  to  the  class  of  people  you  are  to  enter- 
tain you  will  find  that  you  will  stimulate  your 
record  sales  as  well  as  advertise  the  Amberola. 
Any  questions  that  are  asked,  and  probably  there 
will  be  many  on  every  such  occasion,  should  be 
courteously  and  completely  answered  and  every 
effort  made  to  increase  any  interest  that  a  person 
may  show  in  the  instrument  and  records.  You  may 
never  make  a  sale  upon  such  an  occasion,  but  if  you 
are  wise  you  will  leave  the  gathering  with  a  fine 
list  of  the  names  of  new  prospects. 

Now  that  the  fall  months  have  begun  with  the 
meetings  of  organizations  becoming  active  again 
and  attended  by  greater  numbers,  you  should  at 
once  get  busy  arranging  such  demonstrations,  which 
will  be  just  another  source  of  prospects  for  your 
winter's  work. 

It  isn't  a  day  too  early  to  begin  right  now. 


Jobbers  of  Edison  Amberola  Phonographs 
and  Blue  Amberol  Records 


ALABAMA 
Birmingham — Talking  Machine  Co. 

CALIFORNIA 
Los  Angeles — Diamond    Disc    Distribu- 
ting Co. 
San  Francisco — Pacific  Phonograph  Co. 

COLORADO 
Denver — Denver  Dry  Goods  Co. 
Hext  Music  Co. 

CONNECTICUT 

New  Haven — Pardee-Ellenberger  Co. 

GEORGIA 

Atlanta — Atlanta  Phonograph  Co. 

Phonographs,  Inc. 
Waycross — Youmans  Jewelry  Co. 

ILLINOIS 
Chicago — Babson  Bros. 

James  I.  Lyons. 

The  Phonograph  Co. 
Peoria — Peoria  Phonograph  Co. 
Quincy — Quincy  Phonograph  Co. 

INDIANA 
Indianapolis — Kipp  Phonograph  Co. 

IOWA 
Des  Moines — Harger  &  Blish 
Sioux  City — Harger  &  Blish. 

LOUISIANA 
New  Orleans — Diamond  Music  Co.,  Inc. 

MARYLAND 
Baltimore — E.  F.  Droop  &  Sons  Co. 


MASSACHUSETTS 
Boston — Iver-Johnson  Sporting  Goods  Co. 

Pardee-Ellenberger  Co. 
Lowell — Thomas  Wardell. 

MICHIGAN 

Detroit — Phonograph  Co.  of  Detroit. 

MINNESOTA 
Minneapolis — Laurence  H.  Lucker. 
St.  Paul— W.  J.  Dyer  &  Bro. 

MISSOURI 

Kansas  City — The  Phonograph  Co. 
St.  Louis — Silverstone  Music  Co. 

MONTANA 
Helena — Montana  Phonograph  Co. 

NEBRASKA 
Omaha — Shultz  Bros. 

NEW  JERSEY 
Paterson — James  K.  O'Dea. 

NEW  YORK 

Albany — American  Phonograph  Co. 
Buffalo — W.  D.  Andrews. 

Neal,  Clark  &  Neal  Co. 
Elmira — Elmira  Arms  Co. 
N.  Y.  City— I.  Davega,  Jr.,  Inc. 

J.  F.  Blackman  &  Son 
Phonograph  Corp.  of 
Manhattan 
Rochester — Talking  Machine  Co. 
Syracuse — Frank  E.  Bolway  &.  Son,  Inc. 

W.  D.  Andrews  Co. 
Utica — Arthur  F.  Ferriss. 
\\  illiam  Harrison. 


OHIO 
Cincinnati — The  Phonograph  Co. 
Cleveland — The  Phonograph  Co. 

OREGON 
Portland — Pacific  Phonograph   Co. 

PENNSYLVANIA 
Philadelphia — Girard  Phonograph  Co. 
Pittsburgh — Buehn  Phonograph  Co. 
Scranton — Ackerman  &  Co. 
Williamsport — W.  A.  Myers. 

RHODE  ISLAND 
Providence— J.  A.  Foster  Co. 

TEXAS 
Dallas — Texas-Oklahoma  Phonog.  Co. 
El  Paso — El  Paso  Phonograph  Co.,  Inc. 

UTAH 
Ogden — Proudfit  Sporting  Goods  Co. 
Salt  Lake  City — Consolidated  Music  Co. 

VERMONT 
Burlington— American  Phonograph  Co. 

VIRGINIA 
Richmond — C.  B.  Haynes  &  Co. 

WASHINGTON 
Seattle — Pacific  Phonograph  Co.,  N.  W. 
Spokane — Pacific  Phonograph  Co.,  N.  W. 

WISCONSIN 
Milwaukee — The  Phonograph  Co. 

CANADA 
Calgary — R.    S.    Williams    &    Sons    Co., 

Ltd. 
Montreal — R.  S.  Williams  &.  Sons  Co., 

Ltd. 
St.  John— W.  H.  Thorne  &  Co.,  Ltd. 
Toronto — R.  S.  Williams  &  Sons  Co.,  Ltd. 
Vancouver — Kent  Piano  Co.,  Ltd. 
Winnipeg — Babson  Bros. 

R.  S.   Williams  &  Sons  Co.,  Ltd. 


If  You  Believe  that  Advertising  Pays,  Why 
Not  Let  it  Pay  You? 

AVERY7"  effective  way  of  calling  attention  to  your  business  is  to  connect  your  ad- 
vertising with  some  event  or  occurrence  in  which  the  general  public  is  interested. 
The  recent  death  of  James  Whitcomb  Riley,  combined  with  the  fact  that  two  of  his 
poems  appear  as  recitations  in  the  Blue  Amberol  catalog,  gives  Edison  dealers  the  op- 
portunity to  attract  considerable  attention  to  the  Diamond  Amberola  and  Blue  Amberol 
records.  A  Riley  ad  has  been  included  in  the  copy  below  and  we  believe  that  it  will  be 
very  effective  if  used  immediately,  before  interest  in  the  poet's  career  subsides. 

Two  other  ads  have  been  provided  and  they  will  be  found  very  effective,  especially  the 
county  fair  ad  at  this  time  of  year  when  Amberola  dealers  are  planning  fair  exhibits. 


James  Whitcomb  Riley  Has  Sung  His  Last  Song 

The  voice  of  this  great  poet  of  the  people,  this  man  whose  tender  verses  of  everyday  life  brought  smiles  and  tears  to 
his  countless  admirers,  has  been  hushed  by  death. 

What  better  and  more  appropriate  momento  of  the  Hoosier  Poet  than  records  of  his  masterpieces — those  verses  that 
charm  you  by  their  beautiful  sentiments  and  their  haunting  musical  words  and  rhythm. 

WE  HAVE 
"An  Old  Sweetheart  of  Mine" 

and 

"Out  To  Old  Aunt  Mary's" 

Recited  by  that  master  of  elocutionists,  Harry  E.  Humphrey,  on 

EDISON  BLUE  AMBEROL  RECORDS 

If  you  have  an  Edison  Diamond  Amberola  you  should  buy  these  records  as  no  collection  is  complete  without  them.  If 
you  had  an  Amberola  you  could  hear  and  cherish  them  to  your  heart's  content.     Come  in  and  we  will  play  them  for  you. 

{DEALER'S  NAME  AND  ADDRESS) 


Consider  the  Records 

and  you  will  buy  an 

EDISON  DIAMOND 
AMBEROLA 


Electro  No.  782 

After  all,  the  record  is  the  most  important 
factor  to  consider  when  you  purchase  a 
phonograph.  The  degree  of  pleasure  that 
you  can  derive  from  your  instrument  is  in 
direct  proportion  to  the  number  and  character 
of  the  records  that  you  can  afford  to  buy. 

No  records,  selling  at  any  price,  present 
higher  quality  or  greater  diversity  than 
Edison   Blue  Amberol   Records. 

50  or  75  cents  buys  records 

of  the  world's  great  singers 

and  instrumentalists 

Come  in  at  any  time  and  hear  Blue  Amberol 
Records  on  the  Diamond  Amberola 

{Dealer's  Name  and  Address) 


One  of  the  Big 

"Punkins" 
at  the  County 
Fair  will  be  the 

EDISON 
DIAMOND 
AMBEROLA 

EXHIBIT 


Come  around  and  say  "howdy".     Sit  by    and 

hear  your  favorite  tunes  as  you  never 

heard  them  before. 

{Dealer's  Name  and  Address) 


Amberola  Model  50 
Electro  No.  424 


^  EDISON 

PHONOGRAPH 
MONTHLY 


VOL.   XIV 


OCTOBER,  1916 


NO.  10 


BETSY  LANE  SHEPHERD 

New  Blue  Amberol  Artist 

(See   Page  13) 


Fulfilled  Obligations 

DURING  the  spring  and  summer  months  we  were  persistent  in  our 
assertions  that  preparations  for  a  new  era  of  Amberola  prosperity 
were  being  made. 

Perhaps  some  of  you  thought  that  this  was  mere  buncomb,  designed 
only  to  stimulate  you  to  greater  efforts.  Perhaps  it  was  unwise  of  us  to 
make  promises  of  developments  that  we  were  not  ready  to  announce  of- 
ficially, for  the  reason  that,  you  might  suspect  their  authenticity. 

But  we  did,  and  today  we  call  your  attention  to  the  fact  that  we  have 
more  than  fulfilled  the  obligations  implied  by  our  predictions. 

The  last  two  months  have  witnessed  a  record-breaking  increase  irj 
Amberola  activity.  In  that  brief  period  of  time,  improvements  that  will 
loom  large  in  Amberola  annals  have  been  made. 

Among  them  are  the  creation  of  the  Amberola  Sales  Department; 
the  appointment  of  an  exclusive  Amberola  supervisor;  the  announce- 
ment of  the  Amberola  "Store;"  the  reduction  of  the  price  of  the  four- 
minute  Blue  Amberol  attachment;  the  remarkable  increase  in  the  quality 
of  Blue  Amberol  records;  the  addition  of  a  number  of  new  and  world- 
renowned  singers  to  the  already  impressive  list  of  Amberola  artists;  and  the 
compilation  of  a  superb  instrument  catalog  which  will  be  issued  in  the 
near  future.      (More  about  the  catalog  next  month). 

When  we  point  to  the  above  record  of  fulfilled  obligations,  will  you 
believe  us  when  we  tell  you  that  the  things  that  thus  far  have  been  ac- 
complished only  form  the  beginning  of  a  great  renewal  of  activity  in  the 
Amberola  line? 

Don't  you  think  now  that  we  mean  business  and  that  we  are  with  you 
and  back  of  you  all  the  time? 

Don't  you  think  it  is  high  time  that  every  Amberola  dealer  awakens  to 
the  opportunities  the  Diamond  Amberola  line  offers  and  to  play  the  game 
for  all  it  is  worth? 


The  Edison 
Phonograph  Monthly 


Volume  XIV 


OCTOBER,  1916 


Number  10 


Enthusiasm! 


THE  Amberola  Sales  Manager  walked  into  the 
office  of  the  General  Sales  Manager  of  the 
Musical  Phonograph  Division. 

A  few  generalities  passed  between  the  two  men. 

"By  the  way,"  finally  remarked  the  former,  "it 
seems  very  strange  to  me  that  some  of  our  dealers 
in  small  but  prosperous  communities  do  so  little 
business.  I  have  my  theory  as  to  what  is  wrong, 
out  sometimes  I  feel  that  it  is  a  waste  of  time  to  go 
to  any  trouble  with  them.  They  seem  to  be  unpro- 
gressive  and  to  lack  merchandising  instincts." 

The  Musical  Phonograph  Division  Sales  Manager 
leaned  back  in  his  chair  and  smiled. 

"You  are  wrong  when  you  believe  that  some  of 
our  Amberola  dealers  lack  the  qualifications  that 
make  good  merchants,"  he  said.  "They  had  to 
show  that  they  were  capable  of  handling  the  line 
before  they  were  signed  and  I  cannot  recall  a  single 
case  in  which  a  dealer  did  not  do  a  good  business 
when  he  first  took  on  the  line.  Some  of  them  have 
maintained  the  standard  they  set  at  first  and  are 
just  as  active  after  being  in  the  business  for  many 
years  as  they  were  the  first  few  months.  But 
others  who  were  splendid  dealers  when  the 
Amberola  was  new  to  them  seem  to  be  on  the  edge 
of  failure  today.  I  have  one  case  in  mind  now — 
that  of  Blank  of  Smalltown.  I'll  wager  he  isn't 
loing  much  business  today,  but  five  years  ago  he 
was   the   best   all-around   dealer   the   company   had. 

An  Edison  Enthusiast 

At  that  time  I  used  to  jump  out  into  the  field  once 
in  a  while  and  frequently  I  went  up  to  see  Blank. 
I  used  to  look  forward  with  pleasure  to  my  calls 
on  him.  I  liked  to  go  to  his  place  of  business  not 
only  because  of  the  order  I  knew  I  always  would 
stir  up.  but  because  of  the  hearty  welcome  I  always 
met  with.  Blank  was  an  Edison  enthusiast  and  he 
was  interested  in  anything  that  pertained  to  the 
Amberola.  He  was  making  money  on  his  phono- 
graphs and  the  line  was  attracting  attention  to  the 
other  goods  he  carried  in  his  general  store.  He 
had  an  abundance  of  good  will  for  the  Amberola 
and  it  used  to  overflow  onto  me.  Time  and  again 
he  invited  me  to  remain  at  his  home  overnight  in 
order  to  talk  Amberola.     That  was  the  kind   of  a 


dealer   he   was.      His   heart    and    soul    were   in    the 
business  and  he  made  a  tremendous  success  of  it. 

"A  while  ago  I  noticed  that  Blank's  sales  were 
falling  off  and  that  he  seemed  to  have  lost  a  shade 
of  his  enthusiasm.  But  I  thought  that  all  he  needed 
was  a  little  rest  or  a  slight  change  of  scenery  to 
bring  him  back  to  his  old  standard.  However,  by 
following  his  affairs,  I  noticed  his  business  fell  off 
steadily.  It  is  some  months  now  since  I  have  given 
him  a  thought,  but  I  know,  from  my  experience 
with  other  dealers,  that  his  business  today  is  negli- 
gible. Business  dry-rot  got  him  and  it  got  him  bad. 
And  he  is  representative  of  a  number  of  Amberola 
dealers  in  small  towns." 

Product  is  Perfect 

"It  is  just  those  dealers  who  make  the  problem 
I  am  up  against,"  said  the  Amberola  Sales  Man- 
ager. "It  seems  to  be  necessary  to  inject  a  new 
spirit  into  them.  Our  product  is  perfect  and  the 
facilities  for  making  Amberolas  and  Blue  Amberol 
records  and  placing  them  in  the  stores  of  dealers 
up  to  the  standard  of  efficiency  that  has  been 
attained  in  other  branches  of  Amberola  produc- 
tion. It  seems  to  be  a  hard  task  but  I  know  it  can 
be  done." 

He  walked  back  to  his  desk,  pondering  over  the 
problem  that  confronted  him  and  considering  the 
career  of  Blank — a  career  that  seemed  to  be  typical 
of  some  dealers.  He  went  to  the  town  files  and 
took  out  Blank's  folder  and  looked  it  over.  He  was 
appalled  at  the  record  it  contained.  Blank  used  to 
have  a  standing  order  for  five  records  of  each  selec- 
tion each  month.  But  he  had  not  purchased  a 
single  Blue  Amberol  from  any  of  the  recent  sup- 
plements! He  had  not  added  an  instrument  to  his 
stock  in  more  than  a  year!  One  could  scarcely 
believe  that  such  deterioration  was  possible,  but 
there  was  the  record  of  it  in  black  and  white. 
Blank  once  had  been  an  exceptionally  fine  dealer. 
Now  he  was  an  exceptionally  poor  one.  He  had 
run  the  gamut  of  success  and  failure  as  an  Ambe- 
rola dealer.  It  occurred  to  the  Amberola  Sales 
Manager  that  the  career  of  Blank  might  be  an 
example  of  the  career  of  that  class  of  Amberola 
dealers    who    were    once    splendid    and    successful 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  OCTOBER,  1916 


merchants,  but  whose  business,  for  some  reason  or 
other,  had  dwindled  to  practically  nothing.  With- 
out doubt,  the  cause  of  Blank's  deterioration  was 
the  cause  of  the  failure  of  many  other  dealers  to 
do  the  amount  of  business  they  once  had  done  and 
sfill  should  do.  He  would  visit  Blank  and  deter- 
mine what  was  wrong  with  him.  He  told  the  Sales 
Manager  of  the  Musical  Phonograph  Division  of 
his  decision  and  left. 

Three  days   later  he  returned. 

He  walked  into  the  General  Sales  Manager's 
office. 

"Well,  what  did  you  find  up  in  Blank's  store?" 
the  man  in  the  revolving  chair  asked. 

"I  found  out  what  is  the  matter  with  many  of 
our  Amberola  dealers,"  the  Amberola  Sales  Man- 
ager replied.  "Let  me  tell  you  just  what  I  found 
and  you  can  judge  for  yourself  where  the  trouble 
lies. 

What  the  Trouble  Was 

"Blank's  store,  when  I  entered  it,  was  in  charge 
of  a  gangling  boy  who  did  not  seem  to  possess 
even  ordinary  intelligence.  He  informed  me  that 
the  boss  was  out.  He  did  not  know  'xactly  where. 
I  told  him  I  would  wait  and,  while  I  stood  there 
trying  to  look  out  of  the  streaked  windows,  he 
edged  around  me  and  looked  at  me  curiously  as 
though  I  was  some  strange  specimen,  the  like  of 
which  he  never  had  seen  before.  I  went  over  to 
the  remains  of  what  you  told  me  was  once  the 
best  and  most  efficiently  kept  stock  of  Amberolas 
and  Blue  Amberol  records  in  nine-tenths  of  the 
State.  I  asked  the  boy  if  he  had  a  certain  record. 
He  raised  a  lot  of  dust,  pawing  around  the  box  in 
which  they  all  were  thrown  together,  and  finally 
gave  me  a  negative  reply.  I  asked  for  several 
other  selections,  but  each  time  a  cursory  search  and 
a  drowsy  shake  of  the  head  was  the  only  reply. 

"  'Wouldn't  do  no  good  if  I  did  hav'um,'  he 
stated  at  last.  'The  old  man  never  showed  me 
how  to  run  the  darned  thing.' 

"Just  then  the  'old  man'  came  in.  He  was  a 
pretty  seedy  looking  specimen  of  merchant  and  I 
would  not  have  recognized  him  from  the  descrip- 
tion you  gave  me.  I  introduced  myself  and  we  got 
down  to  cases.  I  did  not  waste  any  time  in  pre- 
liminaries. I  just  asked  him  point  blank  what  the 
matter  was.     He   answered  me  truthfully. 

"  'I  don't  know,'  was  his  reply.  'There  must  be 
something,  though.' 

"This  was  encouraging.  The  mere  admission 
that  his  condition  was  not  natural — that  there  must 
be  something  wrong — gave  me  hopes  of  being  able 
to  locate  the  source  of  the  trouble.  And  I  felt 
that  Blank  was  not  without  some  ability  to  analyze 
himself  and  his  business. 

"  'Sometimes  I've  thought  that  I  went  at  it  too 
heavy  at  first,'  he  said.  'I  don't  believe  that  there 
ever   was   a   more   enthusiastic   dealer   than    myself 


for  the  first  two  years  I  was  in  business.  I  would 
sit  up  nights  to  address  supplements  and  write 
advertisements  and  there  was  a  time  when  I  pre- 
ferred a  Blue  Amberol  catalog  to  a  newspaper  or 
a  magazine  for  reading  purposes.  I  waited  for 
monthly  lists  with  more  anticipation  than  any 
of  my  customers  and  I  believe  that  I  took  more 
delight  in  listening  to  an  Amberola  than  the  ma- 
jority of  owners.  And  the  most  entertaining 
mathematical  problem  that  I  could  devise  was  that 
of  figuring  out  how  much  I  could  afford  to  spend 
in  advertising  each  month. 

"  'What  a  business  I  did  in  those  days,'  he  con- 
tinued, reminiscently. 

"  'Well,'  I  said,  'what  made  your  business  begin 
to  dwindle?' 

"  'That's  what  I'm  coming  to,'  he  replied.  'I 
wonder  if  it  wasn't  because  I  became  familiar  with 
all  there  was  to  learn  about  the  line.  I  got  to 
know  it  like  I  know  the  alphabet  and  about  that 
time  it  commenced  to  lose  its  interest.  As  long  as 
the  line  was  new  and  novel  to  me,  I  was  enthu- 
siastic and  successful.  Two  years  seemed  to  take 
the  novelty  out  of  the  work.  And,  when  the  nov- 
elty passed  my  enthusiasm  passed  with  it.  And 
when  I  lost  my  enthusiasm  the  business  just  seemed 
to  bust  up.  That's  all  I  know  about  it.  Perhaps 
that's  the  reason.  Perhaps  it's  something  else.  I 
don't  know.' 

"  'You  don't  have  to  go  any  farther,'  I  told  him. 
'You  have  got  it  right.  It  is  lack  of  ENTHUSI- 
ASM that  nearly  has  put  you  out  of  business  and 
that  has  placed  other  once-successful  dealers  in  the 
same  position  that  you  are  in.  Whether  this  lack 
of  interest  is  the  result  of  knowing  too  much  or  too 
little  about  the  business,  the  results  are  just  the 
same.  And  the  results  are:  no  stock,  no  business, 
no  profits.  That  is  what  lack  of  enthusiasm  does 
to  a  merchant.  It  proves  itself.  When  you  first 
went  into  business  you  had  unbounded  enthusiasm 
and  you  were  highly  successful.  Today  you  are 
the  same  man,  with  the  same  capabilities  for  sell- 
ing, as  you  were  then.  Only  now  you  are  minus 
your  enthusiasm — and  your  profits.' 


Forget  the  Disc 


'The     disc     instruments- 


commencec 


feebly. 

"  'Never  mind  the  disc  instruments,'  I  said.  'There 
are  new  Amberola  dealers  starting  in  business  every 
day.  They  are  just  like  you  were  when  you 
started  in — optimistic,  enthusiastic  and  successful. 
They  are  selling  Amberolas  just  as  you  did  five 
years  ago  and  just  as  you  would  now  if  you  had 
not  gone  into  the  business  until  the  present  time. 
And  you  can  get  right  into  the  race  with  them  and 
do  just  as  much,  and  more,  business  than  ever 
before.  But  you  have  got  to  wake  up  and  jump  into 
the  work  with   the  same  zeal   and   energy  that  you 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  OCTOBER,  1916 


did  five  years  ago.  It  should  be  easy  for  you  to 
generate  enthusiasm  with  the  developments  that  the 
Amberola  business  recently  has  undergone.  By  the 
way,  have  you  read  the  recent  trade  bulletins  and 
do  you  ever  read  the  Phonograph  Monthly?'  I 
asked  him. 

"  'No,  I  haven't  paid  much  attention  to  them 
lately,'  he  replied.  And  I  knew  that  for  months 
past  both  bulletins  and  Monthly  had  been  con- 
signed to  the  waste  paper  basket. 

"  'Then,'  I  said,  'you  don't  know  that  we  now 
have  a  separate  Amberola  sales  department  and 
that  we  are  building  up  our  own  selling  organiza- 
tion! You  don't  know  that  we  have  an  exclusive 
Amberola  supervisor!  You  don't  know  that  we  are 
getting  out  record  lists  that  are  equal  to  any  of  those 
produced  for  the  most  expensive  instruments!  You 
don't  know  that  the  names  of  some  of  the  most 
famous  operatic  and  concert  singers  in  the  world 
have  been  placed  in  the  Blue  Amberol  catalog 
during  the  past  few  months!  You  don't  know  that 
the  price  of  the  four-minute  Amberola  attachments 
practically  has  been  cut  in  half!  You  don't  know 
that  Amberola  dealers  who  have  been  in  a  state 
of  lethargy  for  years  are  beginning  to  rub  their 
eyes  in  amazement  because  of  the  demand  that  is 
developing  for  Diamond  Amberolas  and  Blue 
Amberol  records!  You  don't  know  that  business 
now  is  better  than  it  ever  was  and  that  a  new  era 
of  Amberola  prosperity  has  commenced!' 

Blank  Conies  Back 

"I  had  punched  these  points  in  without  giving 
Blank  a  chance  to  break  in.     He  was  impressed. 

"  'I  didn't  quite  get  all  of  that,'  he  said.  'You 
don't  mean  that  there  is  a  separate  Amberola  Sales 
Department  now — a  department  that  is  to  be  de- 
voted only  to  the  interests  of  Amberola  dealers?' 

"  'That's  just  what  I  mean,'  I  informed  him. 

"  'You  don't  mean  to  say  that  the  Amberola  busi- 
ness is  here  to  stay  and  that  it  actually  is  growing? 
I  thought  it  was  getting  as  bad  everywhere  as  it 
seems  to  be  here.' 

"  'The  Amberola  business  has  grown  35  per  cent, 
in  the  past  year  through  the  efforts  of  our  enthusi- 
astic dealers — old  and  new,'  I  told  him. 

"  'You  mean  that  there  are  dealers  in  territory 
like  this  who  now  are  doing  as  well  as  I  did  four 
and  five  years  ago?' 

"  'Yes — and  better,'  I   replied. 

''  'And  that  all  I  need  is  enthusiasm  to  get  back 
into  form  again?' 

"  'That's  all,'  I  told  him. 

"  'Willie,'  he  said  to  the  gangling  boy,  'dust  off 
that  instrument  and  put  those  records  back  in  the 
rack  where  they  belong.  And  move  those  cracker 
barrels  out  of  the  way  and  see  how  much  space 
vou  can  make  in  that  corner. 


"  'And,'  he  said,  turning  to  me,  'you  had  better 
come  up  and  spend  the  night  at  the  house.  There's 
lots  of  things  about  the  Amberola  business  I  would 
like  to  talk  over  with  you.'  " 


EDISON   WEEK— OCTOBER   16-21 

FROM  October  16th  to  21st,  Edison  Week  will 
be  observed  by  many  of  the  industries  that 
have  been  founded  by  Thomas  A.  Edison  or  that 
have  grown  out  of  his  inventions. 

The  fact  that  in  the  United  States  alone  approx- 
imately 600,000  persons  are  employed  in  such 
industries,  indicates  the  magnitude  of  the  observ 
ance  and  the  wide  publicity  that  it  will  receive. 
Although  of  recent  origin,  Edison  Week  already 
has  become  an  occasion  during  which  the  attention 
of  the  public  is  centered  to  an  unusual  degree  upon 
the  accomplishments  of  Mr.  Edison  and  upon  the 
products  that  bear  his  name.  Every  Edison  dealer 
should  make  some  kind  of  an  Edison  display 
between  October  16th  and  21st.  The  fact  that  you 
co-operate  in  marketing  the  favorite  invention  of 
Mr.  Edison — that  you  have  been  licensed  by  him 
to  deal  in  it — should  be  a  powerful  incentive  to 
you  to  give  the  Diamond  Amberola  extraordinary 
attention  during  Edison  week. 

Your  own  interests  also  should  lead  you  to 
make  a  display  at  this  time.  The  most  effective 
advertising  is  that  which  is  tied  to  the  events  of 
the  day.  If  you  can  interlock  a  local  ad  with 
an  event  of  nation-wide  interest  you  gain  not  only 
the  benefit  of  the  space  you  have  paid  for  but 
you  also  secure  the  benefit  of  a  vast  amount  of  free 
reading  matter  that  bears  a  direct  relation  to 
your  ad. 

Edison  Week  Advertising  Pays 

During  Edison  Week,  your  window  should  con- 
tain an  Edison  display  and  you  should  do  some 
Edison  Week  advertising.  A  special  hanger  (Form 
No.  3321)  has  been  prepared  to  assist  you  in  trim- 
ming your  window  and  the  back  cover  of  this 
issue  of  Phonograph  Monthly  contains  some  copy 
that  can  be  used  to  advantage  in  your  local 
papers.  If  you  never  before  had  an  Edison  Week 
display  or  if  you  never  advertised  your  observance 
of  the  week,  start  this  year!  Never  before  in  the 
history  of  the  Diamond  Amberola  line  did  condi- 
tions justify  the  expenditure  of  energy  and  money 
in  promoting  sales  as  they  do  at  the  present  time. 
And  there  is  not  a  better  week  in  the  year  for  you 
to  advertise  in  than  Edison  Week!  Use  the  news- 
papers, trim  up  your  windows,  give  a  series  of 
concerts,  and  use  every  other  means  you  can  think 
of  to  attract  attention  to  your  store  and  the 
Diamond  Amberola  line. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  OCTOBER,  1916 


44 


Repeating "  and  How  to  Correct  It 


AMONG  the  many  reasons  for  the  increasing 
sales  of  the  Diamond  Amberola  must  be 
counted  its  comparative  freedom  from  mechanical 
troubles.  It  is  dependable  and  its  owners  are 
praising  this  feature  to  their  friends.  In  the 
thousands  of  reports  received  by  us  from  Amberola 
owners,  the  usual  comment  is,  "Never  out  of  order," 
or  else  we  read,  "Dealer  can  make  any  adjustments 
required."  Simplicity  is  the  keynote  of  success  in 
designing  machinery.  Efficiency  depends  upon  sim- 
plicity; in  fact,  efficiency  means  doing  the  right 
thing  the  simplest  way.  The  right  and  efficient 
way  to  become  familiar  with  the  mechanism  of  the 
Amberola  or  to  locate  any  mechanical  difficulties 
that  may  result  from  improper  handling  or  lack  of 
attention  is  to  examine  one  part  at  a  time. 

It  is  very  simple  to  make  mechanical  adjustments 
on  the  Amberola  if  you  seek  the  seat  of  trouble 
systematically  and  do  not  become  confused  and 
spread  your  attention  over  the  entire  instrument  at 
one  time.  If  an  Amberola  that  is  out  of  adjustment 
is  brought  to  your  attention,  examine  it  as  an  expert 
repairman  would.  Take  one  part  at  a  time  and  go 
over  it  thoroughly.  If  the  first  part  you  examine  is 
in  good  condition,  go  to  the  next  part  and,  by  this 
process   of   elimination,    you    are    bound    at    last    to 


find  where  the  trouble  lies.  Suppose,  for  instance, 
that  a  customer  complains  of  an  instrument  "re- 
peating." Possibly  it  has  been  moved  about  care- 
lessly or  some  part  is  in  need  of  the  ordinary  atten- 
tion which  all  machinery  requires. 

The  few  simple  suggestions  below,  prepared  by 
the  mechanical  department  of  the  Musical  Phono- 
graph Division,  show  how  an  examination  for  the 
cause  of  "repeating"  should  be  made  and  how  the 
difficulty  should  be  removed  when  the  cause  of  it 
is  located.     See  cut  accompanying  this  article. 

1. — It  may  be  that  the  owner  has  the  habit  of 
letting  the  diamond  point  down  upon  the  smooth 
outer  border  of  the  record  where  it  can  float  to  the 
right  or  left  before  catching  the  music  lines.  This 
will  permit  the  limit  pin  (1)  on  the  free  end  of 
the  reproducer  weight  to  rub  against  the  loop 
surrounding  it,  thereby  causing  the  diamond  to 
jump  a  line  or  two. 

2. — In  moving  the  instrument,  it  sometimes  occurs 
that  the  small  end  of  the  horn  slips  away  from  the 
stem  on  the  reproducer.  Unless  the  end  of  the  horn 
is  pushed  back  against  the  shoulder  (2)  of  the 
reproducer  where  it  belongs,  it  may  work  at  an 
angle  and  cause  a  slight  bind  in  the  joint — a  bind 
that  will   cause  the  feed   screw   nut  to  skip  on  the 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  OCTOBER,  1916 


feed  screw.     While  observing  this  particular  joint, 
don't  forget  to  apply  a  little  grease. 

3. — Occasionally  we  find  that  the  reproducer  (3) 
has  been  removed  and,  in  being  replaced,  has  not 
been  set  firmly  down  in  its  seat.  This,  of  course, 
holds  the  limit  loop  higher  from  the  record  than  it 
should,  so,  when  the  weight  is  lowered  for  playing, 
the  limit  pin  floats  near  the  narrow  lower  part  of 
the  loop,  where  the  latter  converges  to  a  point. 
This  leaves  too  little  space  for  the  pin,  with  the 
result  that  it  is  liable  to  rub  against  the  loop  and 
cause   "repeating." 

Oil  May  Help 

4. — Few  people  ever  think  of  inspecting  the 
swivel  joint  (4)  on  which  the  reproducer  weight 
hangs.  If  the  instrument  has  been  standing  idle  in 
an  atmosphere  that  is  damp,  it  is  very  likely  that 
this  joint  has  become  stiffened  up  with  rust.  Loosen 
the  screw  and  apply  a  few  drops  of  oil. 

5. — On  a  few  occasions  we  have  found  "repeat- 
ing" to  have  been  caused  by  the  neglect  of  the 
operator  to  put  the  record  firmly  on  the  man- 
drel   (5). 

6. — If  the  adjustment  (6)  of  the  feed-screw  nut 
has  become  altered,  you  might  find  that  it  fails  to 
go  down  fully  into  the  threads  of  the  feed-screw. 
This  might  result  in  the  skipping  of  threads  now 
and  then.  Of  course,  if  the  screw  threads  have  been 
bruised  or  burred,  which  is  not  likely  to  happen, 
the  nut  will  skip  over  a  few  threads. 

7. — When  gears  are  neglected  and  the  teeth  be- 
come dry  the  resulting  vibration  is  liable  to  disturb 
the  adjustment  of  the  bearings.  Examine  the 
feed-screw  (7)  and  see  that  it  has  not  too  much 
shake  or  play  endwise  as  this  will  cause  lost  motion 
in  the  movement  of  the  carriage. 

8. — "Repeating"  sometimes  is  caused  by  undue 
friction  in  the  movement  of  the  carriage.  Oiling 
the  sliding-ways  (8)  or  following  item  2  above,  or 
inspecting  the  horn  inside  the  grille,  will  eliminate 
this  cause  of  repeating. 


AMBEROLA  CROWDS  OUT 
OTHER  LINES 

THE  story  of  the  rapid  expansion  of  the  Ara- 
berola  business  in  one  store  is  told  in  a  letter 
recently  received  from  J.  R.  Tolleson,  of  J.  R.  Tolle- 
son  and  Company,  Amberola  dealers  in  Gaffney, 
South  Carolina.  For  twelve  years  this  concern  dealt 
in  Edison  phonographs  but,  during  that  time,  did 
not  devote  much  time  or  space  to  the  line.  The 
development  of  the  Amberola  and  Blue  Amberol 
records  and  the  general  increasing  attractiveness 
of  the  line  led  them  to  make  a  few  experiments  in 
the  active  merchandising  of  it  and  as  a  result 
they    are    developing   such    a    large    and    profitable 


business  that  it  has  paid  them  to  cut  out  a  number 
of  other  lines  of  goods  they  handled  and  devote 
the  space  formerly  occupied  by  these  to  their 
Amberola  display.  The  following  excerpts  from 
Mr.  Tolleson's  letter  will  indicate  his  firm's  attitude 
toward  the  Amberola  line  and  show  what  they  are 
doing  to   stimulate  their  Amberola   business. 

"We  have  cut  out  some  other  lines  of  goods  in 
order  to  give  more  time  and  space  to  Edison  Am- 
berolas,  and  our  Amberola  section  now  measures 
20  by  20  feet,  which  gives  space  for  dancing. 

"We  have  received  several  cuts  from  you  and 
used  them.  Have  a  new  one  which  goes  in  to-day. 
We  received  the  leaflets  and  mailed  out  150  of 
them.  We  have  made  arrangements  to  do  some 
good  advertising  at  the  Cherokee  County  Fair, 
October  17th-18th. 

"We  have  sold  several  of  the  four-minute  attach- 
ments and  we  are  trying  to  get  others  who  have 
two-minute  phonographs  to  order  attachments  so 
that  we  may  sell  more  records. 

"While  selling  the  old-style  phonograph  we  never 
felt  half  the  interest  that  we  do  since  the  Amberola 
and  Blue  Amberol  records  came  out.  We  are 
delighted  with  the  Amberola,  especially  with  Model 
75,  and  the  people  of  Gaffney  say  it  is  the  best  they 
ever  have   heard." 


FORTY  MORE  MERCHANTS  FALL 
IN  LINE 

EVERY  month  good  merchants  are  discovering 
that  they  cannot  afford  to  lose  the  opportuni- 
ties the  Amberola  line  offers. 

During  the  past  thirty  days,  for  instance,  forty 
merchants  in  various  parts  of  the  country  have 
started  as  dealers  in  Amberolas  and  Blue  Amberol 
Records  or  added  these  products  to  the  lines  they 
previously  had  carried.  It  is  a  fact  worth  noting 
that  twenty-one  of  these  forty  new  Amberola 
dealers  have  been  merchandising  the  Edison  Disc 
line  and,  because  of  this,  were  in  a  position  to 
judge  both  the  merits  of  the  Amberola  and  the 
degree  of  interest  that  is  being  taken  in  it.  Eight 
of  the  number  have  taken  on  both  the  Amberola 
and  the  Edison  Disc  line  and  the  remaining  eleven 
are  Amberola  dealers  exclusively. 

The  Amberola  business  is  expanding,  as  the  rap- 
idly increasing  number  of  dealers  indicates.  Ex- 
pansion can  be  caused  only  by  the  development  of 
a  greater  demand  for  a  line  of  goods.  So  the  fact 
that  many  new  dealers  are  taking  up  the  merchan- 
dising of  the  Amberola  should  be  highly  encourag- 
ing to  those  who  now  are  engaged  in  the  business. 
It  indicates  a  healthy  state  of  affairs  and  it  should 
convince  you  that  there  are  ample  profits  for  you 
in  the  Amberola  line  if  you  prosecute  your  business 
energetically   and   enthusiastically   all   the   time. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  OCTOBER,  1916 


Edison   Phonograph   Monthly 


Published  in  the  interest  of 

EDISON  AMBEROLA  PHONOGRAPHS 

AND 

BLUE  AMBEROL  RECORDS 

By  Thomas  A.  Edison,  Inc. 

ORANGE,  N.  J.,  U.  S.  A. 


Editorial 

The  dealer  who  won't  adver- 

BusineSS  Food  tlse  usually  balks  because  he 
feels  that  money  spent  in 
this  direction  is  money  thrown  away,  just  because 
he  does  not  always  see  immediate  results. 

He  doesn't  appreciate  the  fact  that  a  business  has 
to  be  nourished  in  order  to  make  it  produce  and 
grow. 

He  would  not  deny  the  necessity  of  planting  and 
fertilizing  a  field  and  of  feeding  and  caring  for 
stock  in  order  to  get  a  profitable  return  in  farm  or 
dairy  products. 

But  he  believes  that  business  is  a  field  that 
should  produce  golden  grain  without  seeding — that 
it  is  a  force  that  will  move  and  produce  without 
care   or   nourishment. 

The  value  of  advertising  is  not  debatable.  It  is 
an  essential  to  successful  business.  It  is  the  seed 
from  which  the  harvest  springs. 

A  part  of  your  profits  should  go  into  advertis- 
ing. A  little  reasoning  will  convince  you  that 
money  spent  in  this  way  is  not  only  a  necessary  in- 
vestment but  the  best  investment  you  can  make. 


Because  the  Amberola  produces 
Inside  wonderful    results,   you   should 

Information^  not  stand  m  awe  °^  *ts  mechan- 
ical features. 

It  is  exceedingly  simple  in  construction  and  the 
operation  of  each  component  part  can  be  readily 
comprehended  by  you  if  a  slight  study  of  it  is 
made.  You  can  learn  how  to  locate  and  repair  most 
of  the  difficulties  that  are  caused  by  mishandling 
the  instrument  or  neglecting  it  and,  needless  to  say, 
this  knowledge  greatly  increases  your  efficiency 
as  a  dealer. 

When  an  Amberola  is  out  of  order,  each  part 
should  be  given  a  thorough  examination  to  deter- 
mine whether  or  not  the  trouble  lies  with  it.  Do 
not  take  one  look  at  the  entire  instrument  and  throw 
up  your  hands  in  despair.  Do  not  go  through  it  in 
a  haphazard  way,  giving  occasional  parts  super- 
ficial examination.  Do  not  push  one  part  and  pull 
another,  all  at  random,  and  believe  that  such  an 
operation  might  do  some  good.  Take  one  part  at 
a  time  and  examine  it  from  every  angle  and,  before 
your   task   is  completed,   you   necessarily  will   have 


located  the  cause  of  the  trouble.  This  is  the  meth- 
od of  the  expert  repairman  and  the  method  that 
every  repairman  should  adopt. 

The  article  on  "repeating"  contains  much  that 
is  of  interest  and  importance  to  Amberola  dealers, 
and  we  recommend  that  you  give  it  a  careful 
reading. 


A  communication  from  J. 
Opportunity  R-  Tolleson,  of  J.  R.  Tol- 
leson  &  Company,  Am- 
berola dealers  at  Gaffney,  South  Carolina,  brings 
to  the  attention  the  fact  that  many  Amberola  deal- 
ers are  neglecting  the  opportunities  that  the  re- 
cently arrived  new  era  of  the  Amberola  business 
offers. 

Mr.  Tolleson,  in  his  letter,  states  that  for  many 
years  his  concern  did  not  pay  much  attention  to 
the  phonograph  business  and  that  it  was  only  the 
interest  that  people  in  his  district  displayed  in  the 
Amberola  that  spurred  them  into  activity.  What 
has  the  result  been?  The  concern  has  been  obliged 
to  abandon  other  less  active  and  profitable  busi- 
ness in  order  to  afford  more  time  and  space  to  the 
Amberola  business.  They  have  been  brought  to  a 
realization  of  the  value  of  advertising,  and  they 
are  using  more  and  more  publicity  all  the  time. 
They  have  made  a  conscientious  study  of  the  best 
ways  of  merchandising  the  Amberola  and  Blue 
Amberol  records  and  they  are  using  methods  that 
have  been  found  effective  and  that  are  recom- 
mended by  those  who  have  learned  their  value 
from  experience.  Because  of  this  rejuvenation  and 
the  discovery  that  the  Amberola  line  is  exceedingly 
active,  the  concern  is  profiting  now  and  will  con- 
tinue to  profit  in  the  future. 

If  you  are  neglecting  your  opportunities  as  J.  R. 
Tolleson  &  Company  did,  why  not  profit  by  their 
experience? 

♦ 

The    place    of    the 

Home  Demonstration  phonograph    is    in 

the  home  and  that 
is  where  it  has  the  strongest  appeal.  Don't  de- 
pend  on   store  demonstrations  only. 

There  is  a  certain  psychological  influence  in 
your  favor  if  you  succeed  in  placing  an  instrument 
in  a  home  on  a  trial  offer  proposition.  Once  in  a 
home,  the  Amberola  immediately  creates  a  place 
for  itself. 

"Now  that  it  is  here,  we  might  as  well  keep  it," 
is  the  logical  decision.  And,  in  numerous  cases, 
there  it  will   remain. 

The  best  investment  that  an  Amberola  dealer 
can  make  is  to  acquire  a  stock  of  instruments  that 
will  enable  him  to  make  plenty  of  home  demon- 
strations, and  then  supplement  his  stock  by  efforts 
to  keep  Amberolas  out  on  trial  as  much  as  possible. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  OCTOBER,  1916 


Meet  "Scotty"— Amberola  General 

Supervisor 


"Scotty"   in  Conference  with  Amberola   Sales  Manager,    K.   R.    Moses,  and 
T.  E.  Dean,  Traveler  for  Pardee-Ellenberger  Co.,  Boston 


JW.  SCOTT,  200  pounds  of  geniality,  smiles 
and  Amberola  enthusiasm,  has  been  appointed 
General  Supervisor  of  Amberola  dealers  in  the 
United    States  and  Canada. 

This  not  only  means  that  the  right  man  has  been 
put  into  the  right  place,  but  that  the  right  place  has 
been  created.  Heretofore  you  have  been  obliged 
to  worry  along  without  the  assistance  of  a  super- 
visor, but  in  the  future  you  will  enjoy  the  motherly 
care  of  "Scotty."  And  Mr.  Scott,  by  the  way,  is  a 
regular  phonograph  salesman  and  a  regular  fellow. 
For  fifteen  years  he  has  been  selling  Edisons  and 
there  are  not  many  things  that  he  does  not  know 
about  the  Amberola  and  Blue  Amberol  records. 
He  first  became  interested  in  selling  Edisons  in 
1901  when  he  became  associated  with  the  National 
Phonograph  Company  which  at  that  time  sold 
Edison  products. 

After  spending  a  year  in  securing  experience  in 
New  York,  Mr.  Scott  invaded  New  England  and 
for  the  past  fourteen  years  he  has  been  traveling 
through  that  section  of  the  country.     Up  Maine  way 


he  has  become  a  character.  To  many  of  the  natives 
of  the  State  he  is  a  greater  man  than  the  Governor 
and  the  dates  of  his  arrival  and  departure  from 
town  are  considered  a  matter  that  is  worthy  of 
being  chronicled  in  the  public  prints.  While  not  a 
vaudeville  artist,  he  has  built  up  a  tremendous  rep- 
utation by  telling  a  story  that  is  known  as  "Whoa! 
Bill!"  and  when  he  drops  into  your  store  you  must 
insist  on  hearing  this.  Up  in  some  Vermont  vil- 
lages, the  arrival  of  "Scotty"  and  his  "Whoa! 
Bill"  story  is  one  of  the  big  events  of  the  year. 
"By  hickey,"  they  say,  when  times  are  dull,  "wait 
'till  that  fat  phonograph  feller  comes  back  again. 
Then  we'll   hear   a   real   story." 

In  a  sketch  of  the  life  of  all  great  men,  it  is  con- 
sidered essential  to  mention  their  eccentricities. 
"Scotty"  has  only  two.  He  travels  in  an  auto  and 
he  gets  violent  at  the  sight  of  dust.  So  you  had 
better  keep  your  eyes  on  the  highway  and  when 
you  see  a  cloud  of  dust  rising  in  the  distance  and 
hear  a  roar  that  sounds  like  the  approach  of  a 
tornado,  you  will  know  that  "Scotty"  is  in  the  offing 


10 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  OCTOBER,  1916 


and  that  it  is  high  time  for  you  either  to  dust  off 
your  Edison  stock  or  take  to  your  cyclone  cellar. 
One  more  eccentricity  might  be  mentioned.  A 
stock  of  Diamond  Amberolas  and  Blue  Amberol 
Records  not  right  up  to  the  minute  brings  down  the 
"wrath  of  the  gods"  on  your  head. 

Using  an  auto,  and  not  a  snow  plough,  as  a  mode 
of  conveyance,  "Scotty"  is  obliged  to  accommodate 
himself  to  the  weather  and  he  is  about  to  become  a 
migratory  gentleman  who  goes  back  and  forth 
with  the  birds.     This  summer  he  has  been  tearing 


44 Scotty"  is  a  Firm  Convert  to  Adver- 
tising, as  Evidenced  by  the  Above 

up  New  England  highways  and  introducing  real 
music  into  Maine  and  other  centers  in  the  northeast 
corner  of  this  country.  He  is  soon  to  start  for  the 
south  where  he  will  spend  the  greater  part  of  the 
winter.  And  before  he  has  been  around  that  sec- 
tion long  the  Amberola  Line  is  going  to  be  more 
renowned  than  the  Mason  and  Dixon  Line.  There 
will  be  more  revolutions  in  Georgia  than  there  are 
in  Mexico — but  it  will  be  Blue  Amberol  records 
that  will  do  the  revolving. 

Keep  your  eyes — and  your  ears — open  and  be 
ready  for  "Scotty."  When  you  see  a  man,  who  looks 
like  the  stout  gentleman  in  the  accompanying  pic- 
ture, flow  out  of  his  car  and  greet  you,  you  will 
know  who  it  is.  He  is  a  good  fellow  and  a  good 
salesman  and  you  are  going  to  like  him  and  profit 
by    his   visit.         . 

"The  Amberola  line  is  bound  to  be  a  success  as 
long  as  you  turn  out  instruments  that  give  the 
strongest  tone  test." — Barnes  Drug  Company,  Sault 
Ste.  Marie,   Ont.,   Canada. 


PRICES  OF   FOUR-MINUTE  AT- 
TACHMENTS REDUCED 

THE  Musical  Phonograph  Division,  in  a  recent 
bulletin  to  dealers,  announced  that,  effective 
September  18th,  the  price  of  four-minute  Blue 
Amberol  Attachments  was  decreased  substantially 
for  the  purpose  of  encouraging  the  Amberolization 
of  old-style  Edison  instruments  and  stimulating 
the  demand  for  Blue  Amberol  Records  and  new 
Amberolas.  The  former  selling  plan,  under  which 
each  purchaser  of  an  attachment  received  ten  Blue 
Amberol  records,  has  been  abandoned  and  the 
prices  on  the  new  list  apply  to  attachments  only. 
Under  the  schedule  now  in  force  it  will  be  possible 
for  dealers  and  owners  of  old-style  Edisons  to 
secure  the  attachments  at  about  half  the  price  that 
it  was  necessary  to  pay  under  the  old  plan  and  a 
big  business  is  anticipated  as  a  result. 

Do  It  Now 

Each  Amberola  dealer  should  take  immediate 
steps  to  inaugurate  a  publicity  and  sales  campaign 
for  the  purpose  of  equipping  the  old-style  Edisons 
in  their  territory  with  four-minute  attachments.  At 
$5.50  for  Standard  Instrument  attachments,  and 
$6.75  for  either  Home  or  Triumph  attachments,  the 
owners  can  convert  them  into  instruments  that  will 
produce  music  far  superior  to  that  of  any  needle- 
type  phonograph  on  the  market,  regardless  of  price. 
There  are  thousands  of  owners  of  old  Edisons  who 
will  be  glad  to  take  the  opportunity  of  securing 
the  attachments  at  the  new  price  if  the  reduction  is 
brought  to  their  attention. 

Most  Amberola  dealers  have  lists  of  the  names 
of  former  Edison  owners  whose  instruments  have 
not  been  Amberolized.  If  you  have  one  of  these 
lists,  now  is  the  time  to  get  it  out  and  get  in 
touch  with  the  prospects  on  it.  Write  them!  Call 
on  them!  Take  an  attachment  and  some  of  the 
latest  records  and  give  them  a  demonstration; 
make  every  possible  effort  to  Amberolize  their 
instruments  so  they  will  become  record  buyers 
again.  If  you  have  not  taken  the  trouble  to  com- 
pile such  a  list,  now  is  the  opportune  time. 

More  Profits  for  You 

A  little  advertising  will  bring  in  a  surprising 
number  of  names,  and  window  displays  of  the  at- 
tachments, with  plenty  of  explanatory  window  cards, 
will  attract  the  attention  of  many  owners  of  old 
Edisons.  The  result  of  this  price  reduction  will  be 
a  great  increase  in  the  sales  of  four-minute  attach- 
ments and  Blue  Amberol  Records  and  large  profits 
for  Amberola  dealers.  Your  share  of  the  immedi- 
ate profit  and  the  profits  that  will  be  derived  from 
the  great  increase  in  record  and  instrument  busi- 
ness that  will  follow  the  Amberolization  of  a  large 
number  of  old  Edisons,  depends  on  your  own  indi- 
vidual efforts. 

Start  your  Amberol   attachment  drive   now. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  OCTOBER,  1916 


11 


Announcing  the  New  Diamond 
Amberola  "Store" 


WE  promised  you  that  the  establishment  of  a 
New  Amberola  Sales  Department  would 
result  in  the  formation  and  adoption  of  policies 
and  plans  that  would  stimulate  the  New  Amberola 
business  to  a  degree  that  would  make  the  merchan- 
dising of  these  instruments,  and  Blue  Amberol 
records  easier  and  more  profitable  to  dealers. 
Already  you  undoubtedly  have  noticed  the  effects 
of  this  department  in  the  increasing  quality  of  the 
monthly  record  lists  and  in  the  increased  production 
of  advertising  matter  designed  to  help  Amberola 
dealers  to   secure  prospects   and   make   sales. 

And  now  comes  the  New  Amberola  "Store,"  an 
innovation  that  is  going  to  be  of  inestimable  value 
in  advertising  and  selling  Amberolas  and  Blue 
Amberol  records. 

The  Amberola  "Store,"  like  any  other  store,  has 
been  established  to  sell  goods  and  it  is  going  to 
fulfill  its  mission.  Like  any  successful  store,  it  is 
arranged  to  secure  a  maximum  of  efficiency.  And 
it  presents  the  handsome  and  attractive  appearance 
which  a  fixture  of  a  high-class  store  should  have. 
Be  assured  that  the  proprietor  of  a  New  Amberola 
"Store"  is  going  to  be  a  successful  and  satisfied 
merchant. 


This  new  medium  for  selling  your  line — a  medi- 
um that  will  be  highly  attractive  to  small  dealers 
whose  store  space  is  limited — is  a  handsome  display 
cabinet  that  will  hold  two  New  Diamond  Amberolas 
and  about  185  records.  Approximately  three  feet 
high,  by  the  same  number  of  feet  in  width,  it  is  23 
inches  deep.  There  are  two  instrument  compart- 
ments in  the  interior,  one  to  hold  an  Amberola  50 
and  the  other  a  Model  30.  A  series  of  drawers  are 
provided  for  the  stock  of  records.  The  cabinet  will 
fit  in  a  small  place  in  a  prominent  part  of  your 
store  and  yet  it  contains  a  fairly  good  representa- 
tion of  the  New  Amberola  line — a  representation 
that  will  enable  a  merchant  to  give  a  very  adequate 
demonstration  of  the  merits  of  the  instruments  and 
record. 

The  New  Amberola  "Store"  is  not  only  designed 
to  contain  New  Diamond  Amberolas  and  Blue 
Amberol  records,  but  to  advertise  them  as  well. 
In  the  first  place,  it  is  a  very  handsome  and  strik- 
ing piece  of  store  equipment.  It  is  enameled  in  blue 
— the  Blue  Amberol  shade — and  gilded  bead  work 
is  used  to  add  to  its  attractiveness.  A  built-in  rack, 
designed  to  hold  advertising  matter,  bears  the  words 
"The  New  Edison  Diamond  Amberola"  in  gilt  let- 
(Continued  on  page  12) 


The  New  Diamond  Amberola  "Store"  Open  for  Business 


12 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  OCTOBER,  1916 


Keeping  in  Touch  with  Edison  Artists 


From  the  middle  of  this  month  until  Christmas 
Anna  Case,  the  young  prima  donna  of  the  Metro- 
politan Opera,  will  be  busy  filling  the  many  engage- 
ments that  she  has  accepted.  Her  first  appearance 
of  the  fall  will  be  in  Springfield,  Mass.,  where  she 
will  be  heard  October  6th.  On  the  eleventh  of  the 
month  she  will  give  a  recital  in  Carnegie  Hall,  New 
York,  and  from  then  on  she  will  have  but  little  rest 
until  the  holidays. 


Marie  Narelle,  the  well-known  soprano,  who 
makes  a  specialty  of  singing  folk-songs,  appeared 
recently  before  a  convention  of  the  Ancient  Order 
of  Hibernians  in  Boston.  Her  rendition  of  "Old 
Ireland  Shall  Be  Free"  aroused  so  much  enthusiasm 
that  a  bed  of  roses  that  decorated  the  speaker's 
table  was  given  to  the  singer,  Mayor  Curley,  of 
Boston,  making  the  presentation. 


Christine    Miller    will    appear    as    soloist    at    the 
music  festival  to  be  held  next  May  at  Grand  Island, 


ANNOUNCING  THE  NEW  DIAMOND 
AMBEROLA    "STORE" 

{Continued  from  page  n) 

ters.  The  doors  and  sides  are  paneled  and  so 
arranged  that  hangers  and  other  advertising  forms 
may  be  suspended  against  them.  Just  the  place  for 
your  monthly  record  hangers.  The  "Store"  is  as 
substantially  made  as  it  is  attractive  in  appearance 
and,  from  every  standpoint,  is  a  desirable  adjunct 
for  any  merchant's  store. 

The  advantages  of  the  Amberola  "Store"  are 
numerous.  It  affords  a  place  in  which  instruments 
and  records  can  be  kept  safely,  compactly  and  sys- 
tematically. This  one  feature  is  going  to  be  influ- 
ential in  placing  it  in  hundreds  of  small  stores 
where  there  is  no  suitable  space  to  keep  and  dis- 
play the  Amberola  line  to  advantage.  It  affords 
continuous  free  advertising  and  lends  an  air  of 
distinction  to  your  store.  It  is  not  costly  and  it 
does  not  require  any  great  outlay  of  money  to 
stock  it  with  the  equipment  it  is  designed  to  hold. 
In   every  way  it  is  highly  desirable  for  dealers. 

While  the  New  Amberola  "Store"  has  been 
designed  primarily  for  new  dealers,  it  can  be 
secured  by  merchants  who  are  now  handling  the 
Amberola  line  and  who  feel  that  the  new  method 
is  an  improvement  over  their  present  way  of  dis- 
playing the  instruments  and  records.  The  "Store" 
is  made  to  sell  at  the  remarkably  reasonable  price 
of  fifteen  dollars,  so  it  is  within  the  means  of  every 
merchant.  A  limited  quantity  is  now  ready  for 
deliverv  and  dealers  who  wish  to  start  their  winter 


Nebraska,  under  the  auspices  of  the  St.  Cecelia 
Society.  The  New  York  Symphony  Orchestra, 
under  the  direction  of  Walter  Damrosch,  will  pro- 
vide instrumental  music  for  the  festival. 


Anita  Rio  will  be  one  of  the  singers  on  a  program 
to  be  given  by  the  Evanston  Musical  Club  and 
the  School  of  Music  at  Evanston,  111.,  November  16 
and  17. 


Helen  Clark  recently  returned  from  a  two  weeks' 
vacation  at  Newport,  R.  I.,  thoroughly  refreshed 
and  ready  to  add  many  fine  records  to  her  already 
long   list  of  Blue  Amberols. 


Hardy  Williamson  gave  a  recital  in  August  at 
the  Academy  of  Music  in  New  York,  and  his  pro- 
gram evoked  much  enthusiasm  from  a  large 
audience. 


The  Above  Shows  the  Neat,  Compact 

Appearance  of  the  "Store" 

When  Closed 

work  along  the  most  efficient  lines  and  who  feel 
that  they  now  are  handicapped  by  lack  of  space  or 
facilities  for  making  an  attractive  display,  should 
take  steps  to  improve  their  stores  and  increase 
their  sales  and  profits  by  installing  the  New  Am- 
berola  "Store." 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  OCTOBER,  1916 


13 


Who's  Who  in  the  Blue  Amberol  List 

for  November 


BETSY  LANE  SHEPHERD,  SOPRANO 

BETSY  LANE  SHEPHERD,  a  young  American 
soprano  who  recently  has  come  into  much 
prominence  through  her  splendid  work  in  concert 
and  oratorio  singing  and  whose  portrait  appears 
on  the  front  cover  of  this  issue,  was  born  in  Penn- 
sylvania and  her  musical  training  has  all  been 
secured  in  this  country.  Gifted  with  a  beautiful 
natural  voice  and  a  talent  for  musical  expression, 
she  commenced  her  studies  at  the  Wyoming  Sem- 
inary at  Kingston,  Pa.  Later  she  entered  Syracuse 
University,  continuing  her  studies  in  music  at 
the  College  of  Fine  Arts  connected  with  that  insti- 
tution. For  the  past  several  years  she  has  been 
located  in  New  York  where  she  has  been  a  pupil 
of  Frank  La  Forge  and  Sergei  Klibausky.  She  is 
soprano  soloist  in  the  Calvary  Methodist  Church  of 
New  York. 

Mrs.  Shepherd  has  a  voice  that  is  wonderful  in 
strength,  range  and  purity  of  tone.  She  seems  to  be 
equally  skilled  in  the  rendition  of  dramatic,  lyric 
and  sentimental  songs.  She  can  interpret  the  most 
classical  productions  of  Brahms  in  a  way  to  de- 
light the  most  critical  audience ;  but,  at  the  same 
time,  she  can  give  a  rendition  of  some  folk  song  or 
old  favorite  so  appealingly  that  it  at  once  becomes 
a  classic.  Perfect  voice  control  and  a  musical  dis- 
cernment that  makes  her  judgment  in  matching 
song  and  expression  unerring,  are  among  the 
qualities  that  make  her  singing  always  delightful. 

GLADYS  RICE,  SOPRANO 

Gladys  Rice,  whose  splendid  so 
prano  has  created  a  strong  deman 
for  her  records,  is  a  Philadelphiai 
and  was  educated  at  "Ivy  Hall,' 
Bridgeton,  N.  J.  While  very  young 
she  displayed  a  natural  aptitude  for 
music  and  she  was  given  the  best 
advantages  that  New  York  could 
afford.  Among  her  teachers  was 
Karl  Breneman,  a  pupil  of  the  renowned  Sibulga. 
Her  professional  debut  was  made  at  the  Palace 
Theatre  in  New  York  and  it  was  marked  by  great 
success.  Her  dramatic  ability  inclined  her  toward 
the  stage  and  she  has  appeared  in  both  dramatic 
and  musical  stock.  Her  voice  is  a  clear  and  sweet 
soprano  and  her  numbers  are  rendered  with  the 
expression  and  sentiment  that  only  may  be  found  in 
the  renditions  of  singers  who  have  had  stage  expe- 
rience in  addition  to  thorough  musical  educations. 
On  the  November  list  of  Blue  Amberols  Miss  Rice 
sings  "Good-Bye,  Good  Luck,  God  Bless  You,"  the 


famous  production  of  Ernest  Ball,  in  duet  with 
Walter  Van  Brunt.  Superbly  rendered  by  both 
singers,  it  makes  a  most  attractive  number. 

ARTHUR   COLLINS,   BARITONE 

It  is  like  re-introducing  an  old 
friend  to  tell  Edison  owners  any- 
thing about  Arthur  Collins,  for  his 
name  is  familiar  wherever  the 
phonograph  is  known.  Descended 
from  a  long  line  of  Quakers,  he 
naturally  had  to  be  born  in  Phila- 
delphia. He  received  his  early 
musical  education  under  the  direc- 
tion of  his  mother,  who  was  a  fine  singer.  Although 
Mr.  Collins  is  best  known  as  a  mimic  and  a  singer 
of  popular  songs,  he  is  a  thoroughly  educated  musi- 
cian and  he  had  devoted  much  time  and  energy  to 
the  careful  development  of  his  splendid  baritone 
voice.  He  has  been  very  successful  in  operatic  work 
and  sang  in  "Wang"  with  De  Wolf  Hopper  and  in 
"The  Lion  Tamer"  with  Francis  Wilson.  There  is 
a  continual  demand  for  his  services  and  his  phono- 
graph activities  represent  only  a  small  part  of  the 
work  he  has  done  along  musical  lines.  For  manv 
years  he  has  been  the  singing  partner  of  Byron  G. 
Harlan  and  the  team  name  of  Collins  and  Harlan 
is  better  known  than  either  of  the  individual  names. 

BYRON  G.  HARLAN,  TENOR 

Byron  G.  Harlan,  one  of  the  best 
known  of  Edison  singers,  was  born 
in  Kansas,  but  the  greater  part  of 
his  boyhood  was  spent  in  South 
Dakota.  It  was  not  until  he  was 
twenty-four  years  old  that  he  went 
to  Chicago  and  studied  music  and 
it  was  in  that  city  that  he  com- 
menced his  stage  career,  securing  an 
engagement  with  an  opera  company.  After  gaining 
valuable  theatrical  experience  by  his  appearances 
in  opera,  he  accepted  a  part  with  Otis  Harlan  in  "A 
Texas  Steer."  Later  he  became  a  producer  and  had 
a  company  of  his  own.  His  singing  of  "coon"  and 
"rag'  songs  gained  him  much  renown  and  when 
the  phonograph  came  into  general  use  he  became 
an  Edison  artist.  A  favorite  to  begin  with,  he  has 
retained  his  popularity  during  all  the  years  he  has 
been  making  records.  Perhaps  his  most  prominent 
quality  is  his  ability  to  render  topical  songs  in  a 
spontaneous  and  enthusiastic  manner  that  is  dis- 
tinctive and  characteristic,  an  art  possessed  by  very 
few  singers. 


14 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  OCTOBER,  1916 


Blue  Amberol  List  for  November  Alive 
with  Quick  Sellers 


IT  would  be  difficult  to  compile  a  list  of  vocal  and 
instrumental  numbers  more  in  vogue  at  the 
present  time  than  those  included  in  the  November 
offering  of  Blue  Amberol  records.  The  big  popular 
hits  of  to-day,  and  the  songs  that  are  going  to  be 
the  hits  of  to-morrow,  are  listed  there  among  many 
other  attractive  numbers.  One  of  these  songs,  that 
just  is  springing  into  an  immense  popularity,  is 
Ernest  Ball's  latest  production,  "For  Dixie  and 
Uncle  Sam,"  a  number  that  is  being  sung  and 
whistled  at  the  present  time  all  along  Broadway. 
This  same  composer  is  represented  on  the  list  by 
two  songs,  the  other  being  "Good-bye,  Good  Luck, 
God  Bless  You,"  a  ballad  that  has  taken  its  place 
among  the  classics  of  its  kind  and  that  will  not 
lose  its  popularity  for  many  years.  Many  of  you 
have  heard  of  "There's  a  Garden  in  Old  Italy," 
"In  Dreamy  Spain,"  "By  the  Sad  Luana  Shore," 
"In  a  Dusty  Caravan,"  "Arrah  Go  On,  I'm  Gonna 
Go  Back  to  Oregon,"  and  "I  Sent  My  Wife  to  the 
Thousand  Isles." 

The  November  Blue  Amberol  list  offers  some 
particularly  attractive  band  and  orchestra  num- 
bers. The  latest  waltz  hit,  "Sunset  on  the  St. 
Lawrence,"  is  played  by  Jaudas'  Society  Orchestra 
and  Sodero's  Band  gives  a  fine  rendition  of  Olman's 
"Spring  Bird,"  an  intermezzo  with  a  fascinating 
melody    and    some    beautiful    harmonic    effects.      It 


has  been  a  long  time  since  a  better  march  than  the 
"Boomerang  March"  has  been  written  and  the  way 
it  is  played  by  the  New  York  Military  Band  on 
Blue  Amberol  record  No.  3008  makes  that  number 
one  of  the  choicest  of  its  kind  listed.  The  Peerless 
Orchestra  plays  "The  Dragon's  Eye,"  by  Gay,  and 
the  "Bantam  Step"  is  a  lively  fox-trot  by  Jaudas' 
Society  Orchestra. 

Two  superb  concert  numbers  head  this  excep- 
tionally fine  list.  Alice  Verlet  sings  "Ernani ! 
involami,"  from  Verdi's  opera,  "Ernani."  The 
music  of  Verdi  always  is  beautiful  and  is  very  pop- 
ular among  people  who  are  fond  of  melody.  The 
aria  sung  by  Mme.  Verlet  for  the  November  Blue 
Amberol  list  is  one  of  the  best  known  and  most 
beautiful  of  the  many  written  by  Verdi  and,  after 
hearing  its  familiar  strains,  most  Amberola  owners 
will  desire  to  possess  it.  The  other  concert  num- 
ber of  the  month  introduces  Mary  Zentay,  an  artist 
who  is  new  to  the  Amberol  catalog.  Mme.  Zentay 
is  a  widely  renowned  violinist  and  has  the  dis- 
tinction of  being  among  the  foremost  performers 
of  her  sex  on  this  instrument.  Her  first  record  for 
the  Amberol  catalog  is  a  rendition  of  "Tambourin 
Chinois,"  one  of  Kreisler's  compositions.  The 
number  reveals  her  technical  mastery  of  the  violin 
and  the  beauty  of  her  tone  quality,  and  it  forecasts 
a  wide  popularity  for  her  records. 


BLUE  AMBEROL  RECORDS  FOR  NOVEMBER 


CONCERT 

28245  Ernani!  involami — Ernani,  Verdi,  Soprano,  in  Italian,  orch.  ace. 

28246  Tambourin  Chinois,   Kreisler,  Violin,  Piano  ace.  by  Jacques  Grunberg 


Alice  Verlet 
Mary  Zentay 


REGULAR 


2986 
2987 
2988 
2989 

2990 
2991 
2992 
2993 
2994 
2995 

2996 
2997 
2998 
2999 
3000 

3001 
3002 
3003 
3004 
3005 
3006 
3007 
3008 
3009 
3010 
3011 
9446 
9447 


Arrah  Go  On,  I'm  Gonna  Go  Back  to  Oregon,  Tenor,  orch.  ace.  Billy  Murray 

I'll  Take  You  Home  Again,  Kathleen,   Westendorf,  Tenor,  orch.  ace.  Walter  Van  Brunt  and  Chorus 

Sunset  on  the  St.  Lawrence  Waltz,    Keller,  for  Dancing  Jaudas'  Society  Orchestra 

When  That  Little  Yellow  Fellow  Plays  Piano  'Hannah  Plays  Banjo)  I.indeman,  orch.  ace. 

Arthur  Collins  and  Byron  G.  Harlan 
There's  a  Garden  in  Old  Italy,  Glogav,  Tenor,  orch.  ace.  Irving  Kaufman 

Good-bye,  Good  Luck,  God  Bless  You,  Ball,  Soprano  and  Tenor,  orch.  ace.         Gladys  Rice  and  Walter  Van  Brunt 
Sundial,  Darewski,  Contralto,  orch.  ace.  ,  Helen  Clark 

Dragon's  Eye,  Gay  Peerless  Orchestra 

In  Dreamy  Spain,  Rizzi,  Soprano,  orch.  ace.  Elizabeth  Spencer 

San  San  Soo — Hip  Hip  Hooray — New  York  Hippodrome,  Lawrance,  Tenor,  orch.  ace. 

George  Wilton  Ballard  and  Chorus 
In  a  Dusty  Caravan,  Gilbert-Lee,  Tenor,  orch.  ace.  Walter  Van  Brunt 

There's  a  Little  Babv  Up  in  the  Moon,  David-Godfrey- JVrinht,  Tenor,  orch.  ace.  Irving  Kaufman 

Home,  Sweet  Home*  Payne-Bishop,  Soprano",  orch.  ace.  Betsy  Lane  Shepherd 

I  Sent  My  Wife  to  the  Thousand  Isles,   //.  Von  Tiher,  orch.  ace.  Billy  Murray 

By  the  Sad  Luana  Shore— Step  This  Way,  Goetz,  Soprano  and  Tenor,  orch.  ace. 

Elizabeth   Spencer   and    George  Wilton   Ballard 
I  Surrender  All,  Weeden,  orch.  ace.  mixed  voices  Metropolitan  Quartet 

Bantam  Step— Fox  Trot,  Jentes,  for  Dancing  Jaudas'  Society  Orchestra 

Songs  of  Other  Days— No.  3,  orch.  ace.  mixed  voices  Metropolitan  Chorus 

Valse  Danseuse,  Miles,  Xylophone,  orch.  ace.  William  Dorn 

Spring  Bird— Intermezzo,  Olman  ,  SoderosBand 

For  Di*ie  and  Uncle  Sam,  Ball,  Tenor,  orch.  ace.  George  Wilton  Ballard  and  Chorus 

Two-Key  Rag,   Hollander,  Tenor  and  Baritone,  orch.  ace.  Arthur  Collins  and   Byron  G.   Harlan 

Boomerang  March  New  York  Military  Band 

She  Is  the  Sunshine  of  Virginia,  Carroll,  Tenor,  orch.  ace.  Walter  Van  Brunt 

He's  the  Makin's  of  a  Darn'd  Fine  Man,   Herrman,  orch.  ace.  m  ,,       Ada  Jones 

Smiles,  Then  Kisses— Waltz,  Andiffe  Waikiki  Hawaiian  Orchestra 

Moder  Svea— No.  1 ,  (Swedish  Songs  and  Dances)  New  York  Military  Band 

Moder  Svea— No.  2,  (Swedish  Songs  and  Dances)  New  York  Military  Band 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  OCTOBER,  1916 


•**. 


»-**** 


WHEN  Thomas  A.  Edison  takes  a  vacation  he  enters  into  it  with  all  of  the  enthusiasm 
and  thoroughness  that  he  puts  into  his  daily  work.  Early  in  September  he  went 
into  the  Adirondack  Mountains,  in  New  York  State,  in  search  of  recreation,  accom- 
panied by  H.  S.  Firestone  of  the  Firestone  Tire  and  Rubber  Company  and  John  Burroughs 
the  famous  naturalist.  The  picture  herewith  was  taken  just  before  the  trip  commenced 
and  it  shows  Mr.  Edison,  with  a  smile  of  anticipation  on  his  face,  standing  with  Mr.  Fire- 
stone by  the  car  they  traveled  in.  The  automobile  truck  that  is  shown,  loaded  to  its 
capacity,  contained  the  supplies  that  were  carried  by  the  party. 


Jobbers  of  Edison  Amberola  Phonographs 
and  Blue  Amberol  Records 


ALABAMA 
Birmingham — Talking  Machine  Co. 

CALIFORNIA 
Los  Angeles — Diamond    Disc    Distribu- 
ting Co. 
San  Francisco — Pacific  Phonograph  Co. 

COLORADO 
Denver — Denver  Dry  Goods  Co. 
Hext  Music  Co. 

CONNECTICUT 

New  Haven — Pardee-Ellenberger  Co. 

GEORGIA 
Atlanta — Atlanta  Phonograph  Co. 

Phonographs,  Inc. 
Waycross — Youmans  Jewelry  Co. 

ILLINOIS 
Chicago — Babson  Bros. 

James  I.  Lyons. 

The  Phonograph  Co. 
Peoria — Peoria  Phonograph  Co. 
Quincy — Quincy  Phonograph  Co. 

INDIANA 
Indianapolis — Kipp  Phonograph  Co. 

IOWA 
Des  Moines — Harger  &  Blish 
Sioux  City — Harger  &  Blish. 

LOUISIANA 
New  Orleans — Diamond  Music  Co.,  Inc. 

MARYLAND 
Baltimore — E.  F.  Droop  &  Sons  Co. 


MASSACHUSETTS 
Boston — Iver-Johnson  Sporting  Goods  Co. 

Pardee-Ellenberger  Co. 
Lowell — Thomas  Wardell. 

MICHIGAN 
Detroit — Phonograph  Co.  of  Detroit. 

MINNESOTA 
Minneapolis — Laurence  H.  Lucker. 
St.  Paul— W.  J.  Dyer  &  Bro. 

MISSOURI 

Kansas  City — The  Phonograph  Co. 
St.  Louis — Silverstone  Music  Co. 

MONTANA 
Helena — Montana  Phonograph  Co. 

NEBRASKA 
Omaha — Shultz  Bros. 


Paterson- 


NEW  JERSEY 
-James  K.  O'Dea. 

NEW  YORK 


Albany — American  Phonograph  Co. 
Buffalo — W.  D.  Andrews. 

Neal,  Clark  &  Neal  Co. 
Elmira — Elmira  Arms  Co. 
N.  Y.  City— I.  Davega,  Jr.,  Inc. 

J.  F.  Blackman  &  Son 
Phonograph  Corp.  of 
Manhattan 
Rochester— Talking  Machine  Co. 
Syracuse — Frank  E.  Bolway  &  Son,  Inc. 

W.  D.  Andrews  Co. 
Utica — Arthur  F.  Ferriss. 
William  Harrison. 


OHIO 
Cincinnati — The  Phonograph  Co. 
Cleveland — The  Phonograph  Co. 

OREGON 

Portland — Pacific   Phonograph   Co. 

PENNSYLVANIA 
Philadelphia — Girard  Phonograph  Co. 
Pittsburgh — Buehn  Phonograph  Co. 
Scranton — Ackerman  &  Co. 
Williamsport — W.  A.  Myers. 

RHODE  ISLAND 
Providence — J.  A.  Foster  Co. 

TEXAS 
Dallas — Texas-Oklahoma  Phonog.  Co. 
El  Paso — El  Paso  Phonograph  Co.,  Inc. 

UTAH 
Ogden — Proudfit  Sporting  Goods  Co. 
Salt  Lake  City — Consolidated  Music  Co. 

VERMONT 
Burlington — American  Phonograph  Co. 

VIRGINIA 
Richmond — C.  B.  Haynes  &  Co. 

WASHINGTON 
Seattle — Pacific  Phonograph  Co.,  N.  W. 
Spokane — Pacific  Phonograph  Co.,  N.  W. 

WISCONSIN 
Milwaukee — The  Phonograph  Co. 

CANADA 
Calgary — R.    S.   Williams    &    Sons    Co., 

Ltd. 
Montreal — R.  S.  Williams  &  Sons  Co., 

Ltd. 
St.  John— W.  H.  Thorne  &  Co.,  Ltd. 
Toronto — R.  S.  Williams  &  Sons  Co.,  Ltd. 
Vancouver — Kent  Piano  Co.,  Ltd. 
Winnipeg — Babson  Bros. 

R.   S.   Williams  &  Sons  Co.,  Ltd. 


Advertise  Edison  Week  and  Edison  Week  will  Advertise  You 

EDISON  Week  is  going  to  be  advertised  in  many  of  the  leading  periodicals  of  the  country 
and  it  is  going  to  bring  forth  in  newspapers  and  other  periodicals  a  vast  amount  of 
comment,  pertaining  to  Edison  and  his  achievements.  People  will  read  about  it 
in  magazines  with  nation-wide  circulations  and  thousands  of  local  newspapers.  When 
they  see  your  name  linked  up  with  Edison  they  will  realize  that  your  line  is  the  best  of 
its  kind  that  the  world  affords  and  that  you  are  the  dealer  to  patronize,  if  they  want  the  best. 
The  copy  below,  used  in  your  local  papers,  means  prestige  and  business  for  you.  Requests 
for  electros  should  be  made  by  number  only  and  should  be  addressed  to  Advertising  Depart- 
ment, Thomas  A.  Edison,  Inc.,  Orange,  N.  J. 


EDISON 

OCT. 


WEEK 

16-21 


(Electro  No.  568) 

The  inventions  of  Thomas  A.  Edison  make  employment  for  690,000    people  in  the  United  States 
.e. 
Of  all  his  inventions  the  phonograph  is  his  favorite. 

The  New  Edison  Diamond  Amberola 


Is  an  Edison  instrument  and  it  embodies  all 
of  the  improvements  that  have  made  the  Edison 
renowned  above  all  phonographs.  The  Edison 
Reproducer;  the  Edison  permanent  Diamond  Point; 
unbreakable  and  practically  unwearable  Blue 
Amberol  Records — -these  are  some  of  the  features 


that  have  made  the  Amberola  far  superior  to    the 
most  costly   talking-machine. 

We  have  arranged  a  scries  of  concerts  for  Edison 
Week  and  shall  be  glad  to  have  you  attend  one  or  all 
of  them.  Or  we  will  demonstrate  this  superb 
instrument  to  you  at  any  time  you  care  to  come 
to  our  store. 


(Dealer's  Name  and  Address) 


We  Shall  Give  Special  Free  Concerts  During 

EDISON  WEEK— OCT.  16-21 


The  Phonograph  is  Thomas  A.  Edison's  favorite 
invention  and  a  series  of  concerts,  in  which  the 
music  is  provided  by  this  instrument,  is  a  fitting 
way  for  us  to  honor  the  name  and  achievements 
of  the  great  inventor. 

Our  programs  will  include  the  immortai  master- 


pieces of  the  world;  the  simple  and  beautiful  old 
favorites  that  are  sung  from  generation  to  genera- 
tion; and  the  very  latest  hits  from  the  Broadway 
musical  shows.  All  of  this  music,  vocal  and 
instrumental,  is  rendered  by  great  artists  and  is 
faultlessly  reproduced  by  the 


Model   50 

(Electro  No.  425) 


New  Edison  Diamond  Amberola 


This  instrument  is  a  product  of  the  laboratory  of  Thomas 
A.  Edison  and  it  has  all  of  the  features  that  have  made 
the  Edison  the  peer  of  all  phonographs.  It  is  vastly 
superior  to  any  instrument  that  does  not  bear  the  name 
of  Edison.     Its  music  is  a  revelation. 

Make  it  a  point  to  attend  one  or  more  of  our  concerts 
or,  if  more  convenient,  come  in  at  any  time  and  let  us  give 
you  a  private  demonstration. 


(Dealer's  Name  and  Address) 


Model  30 

(Electro  No.  412) 


•mimmimmmmmimm 


wjummmmmmm^\ 


^e  EDISON 

PHONOGRAPH 

MONTHLY 


VOL.  XIV  NOVEMBER,  1916  NO.  11      | 


S 


YVONNE  de  TREVILLE 

New  Blue  Amberol  Artist 

(See   Page  13) 


TESTS  THAT  PROVE 

DO  YOU  realize  fully  the  significance  of  the  tone  test  competition 
between    a   fifty   dollar  Amberola    and    a   hundred   dollar   "talking 
machine"  of  a  well-known  make  at  the  Hotel  McAlpin,  June  23rd? 
Do  you  know  that  the  unanimous  verdict  rendered  in  favor  of  the  Amberola 
on  that  occasion  has  since  twice  been  confirmed? 

On  October  2nd  and  3rd,  W.  E.  Kipp,  our  Indianapolis  jobber,  had  his 
dealers'  convention  in  that  city.  There  the  McAlpin  test  was  repeated, 
the  only  difference  being  that  a  hundred  and  fifty  dollar  "talking-machine" 
was  used  instead  of  a  hundred  dollar  model.  On  October  23rd  and  24th, 
Frank  E.  Bolway  &  Son,  Inc.,  held  their  dealers'  convention  at  Syracus' 
N.  Y.,  and  there  a  hundred  dollar  "talking  machine"  was  pitted  against 
a   fifty   dollar  Amberola. 

AT  INDIANAPOLIS  THE  VERDICT  WAS  UNANIMOUSLY  IN 
FAVOR  OF  THE  AMBEROLA,  WHILE  AT  SYRACUSE  THE  VOTE 
WAS  PRACTICALLY  UNANIMOUS  FOR  THE  AMBEROLA. 

Remember,  these  tests  were  all  conducted  behind  a  curtain,  so  that 
no  one  but  the  operators  themselves  had  the  slightest  idea  when  the  Am- 
berola was  playing  and  when  the  "talking-machine." 

Here  are  FACTS,  unchallengeable  FACTS,  based  on  unbiased  evidence, 
that  PROVE  the  musical  superiority  of  the  New  Edison  Diamond  Amberola 
over  "talking-machines"  costing  even  three  times  as  much.  Talk  abou 
these  FACTS  to  every  prospect.  Advertise  them.  Put  that  "Odds  of 
100  to  SO"  hanger  (a  reproduction  of  which  you  will  find  on  Page  5  of  this 
issue)  where  everyone  passing  or  coming  into  your  store  will  be  sure  to  see  it. 

Now  you've  got  the  FACTS,  don't  hang  on  to  them.  They'll  never 
do  you  any  good  that  way.  Give  them  to  the  public  and  give  them  good 
and  strong. 


The  Edison 
Phonograph  Monthly 


Volume  XIV 


NOVEMBER,  1916 


Number  11 


"AMBEROLA  ANDY" 

He  Converts  the  Parson's  Wife 

{We  here  introduce  "Amberola  Andy,"  a  fictitious  character,  who,  under  the  guise  of  entertainment,  will 
drive  home  to  all  dealers  some  good,  hard,  sound  facts  that  are  the  foundation  of  successful  Amberola 
merchandising.  Like  most  successful  men,  Andy  is  modest,  but  as  soon  as  we  can  induce  him  to  fur."-  his 
picture  taken  we  will  publish  it  in  these  columns.) 


D'Y  know  thet  a  Amberola  dealer,  even  in  a 
little  one-hoss  place  like  Littleburg,  hez  a 
chance  to  get'a  lot'a  entertainment  out'a  his  store 
and  to  do  whut  might  be  called  a  good  merchan- 
disin'  in  a  big  place.  I  don't  pat  myself  on  the 
back  much  fur  my  dealin's,  but  once  in  a  while  I 
kind'a  put  a  good  one  over,  as  the  feller  says.  I 
kind'a  enjoy  figurin'  out  how  to  get  people  int'rested 
in  Amberolas  and  Blue  Amberols  'cause  I  know 
thet  if  I  once  gets  'em  to  see  somethin'  in  the  inster- 
ments  or  records  thet  strikes  'em  in  the  right  way, 
I've  as  good  ez  made  a  sale.  Y'h  can't  get 
a'quainted  with  a  person  by  seein'  'm  and  you 
can't  get  a'quainted  with  goods  by  just  lookin'  at 
'em.  Fur  ten  years  I  walked  up  and  down  the 
streets  of  Littleburg  only  noddin'  to  Sim  Davis. 
Akchully,  I  thought,  most'a  the  time,  thet  he  wuz 
sort'a  stuck  on  hisself  and,  though  I  try  not  to  hate 
nobody,  I  couldn't  alius  conceal  my  dislike  fur 
Sim.  And  I  never  knew  nothin'  about  'im !  Then 
one  time  we  both  went  to  the  Democrats'  Barb'cue 
and  got  set  side  by  side.  Well,  we  hed  a  good 
dinner  and  some  refreshments  and  th'  fust  thing 
y'h  know  we  wuz  talkin'  and  chatterin'  away  ez 
though  we  alius  hed  been  the  best'a  friends.  I 
found  he  wuz  int'rested  in  the  same  things  I  wuz 
and  thet  he  was  just  t'e  kind'a  feller  I  had  been 
wantin'  fur  a  friend.  Thet's  the  way  it  goes.  I 
hed  alius  looked  at  the  bad  side  of  Sim,  but  arter 
I  got  to  know  'im,  darned  if  I  could  see  any 
bad  side. 

Thought  Rag  Devil's  Music 

Th'other  day  the  parson's  wife  come  in  to  get 
some  records.  I  knew  just  what  she  would  want. 
It  would  be  some  sacred  solos  or  quartets  or 
somethin'  like  that.  I  ain't  sayin'  thet  that  ain't 
good  music  and  thet  there  ain't  a  lot'a  pleasure  in 
listenin'  to  it.  I  like  it  myself.  But  that  wuz  the 
only  kind  that  the  parson  and  his  missus  ever 
bought  and  I   alius  hate  to  see  people  hev  records 


all  of  the  same  kind.  To  me  all  kinds'a  music  are 
good  and  beautiful  and  t'seems  to  me  that  every- 
body should  try  to  hear  and  enjoy  all  kinds  of  it. 
Listenin'  to  one  kind'a  music  is  like  eatin'  one 
kind'a  grub.  It  ain't  natchral  and  it's  goin'  to 
make  anybody  tired  of  music  mighty  quick.  I  kind'a 
felt  that  the  parson  and  his  wife  wuz  gettin'  tired 
of  their  Amb'rola  'cause  they  hadn't  been  buyin' 
many  records.  I  wuz  really  'sprised  to  see  her 
comin'  in  at  all.  It  struck  me  all  of  a  sudden  thet 
if  I  only  could  sell  her  some  good  lively  rags,  whut 
a  change  it  would  make  in  her  and  the  parson.  But 
I  knew  thet  both  of  'em  thought  thet  rag-time  wuz 
the  invention  of  the  Devil.  Rag-time  wuz  the 
music  thet  people  danced  to,  and  that  alone  would'a 
kept  it  out'a  the  pars'nage.  The  Rev.  Ebenezer 
Larkin  wuz  the  kind'a  parson  who  believed  in 
gettin'  his  parishioners  into  heaven  by  scarrin'  'em 
away  from  'tother  place  and  anything  thet  was 
lively  or  enjoyable  seemed  to  him  to  have  some 
connection  with  the  Devil. 

Self  Punishment 
He  wanted  old  hymns  along  with  his  old  religion 
and  he  and  the  missus  wouldn't  even  buy  records  of 
the  latest  Billy  Sunday  hits.  Said  thet  they  sounded 
like  saloon  songs.  All  they  bought  wuz  the  slowest 
and  most  saintly  songs  they  could  pick  out  and 
when  they  played  'em  they  would  run  the  Amb'rola 
at  the  slowest  speed  they  could.  Then  they'ed  set 
with  solemn  faces  list'nin  to  the  music.  The  way 
they  looked,  you'd  think  it  wuz  punishment  fur  them 
— and  I  guess  it  wuz.  But  some  people  enjoy 
inflictin'  sufrerin'  on  themselves  and  I  guess  thet 
must'a  been  the  way  with  Parson  Larkin  and  his 
missus.  How  I  did  long  to  fix  up  some  deal  on 
'um  so  thet  when  they  thought  they  hed  some  slow 
old  hymn  on  the  Amberola,  it  would  start  and  play 
some  snappy  rag  that  would  make  'em  get  up  and 
do  one  of  these  rag-time  dances.  I  used  to  think 
about  such  a  thing  until  it  made  me  most  die  lafFin', 
but  I  knew  I  could  never  do  it. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  NOVEMBER,  1916 


Andy  Gets  An  Idea 

I  don't  know  how  it  ever  happened  thet  I  had 
this  "Yaaka  Hula  Hickey  Dula"  thing  when  the 
parson's  missus  came  in  the  day  I'm  talkin'  about, 
but  I  did.  When  she  gets  herself  sat  down  and 
all  adjusted  I  tells  her  that  I  has  a  new  record 
on  the  Amb'rola  thet  I  would  like  her  to  hear. 
And  I  started  it  up. 

Ez  soon  ez  she  hears  the  first  few  notes  she 
kind'a  stiffens  out  like  a  cat  with  a  fit. 

"That  is  one  of  them  dance  records,  Mr.  Sim- 
mons," she  says.  "I  guess  I  won't  listen  much  to 
that.  You  can  put  on  something  quiet  and  refined 
and   sacred." 

Then  I  happened  to  have  a  bright  i'dee.  I  had 
read  somethin'  in  the  Phonograph  Monthly  about 
Hawaiian  music  bein'  old  hymn  tunes  that  was 
taken  to  Hawaii  by  missionaries  and  then  taken 
by  the  natives  to  play  on  these  here  guitar-like 
things  they  play.     I   stopped  the  instrument. 

"That's  Hawaiian  music,"  I  says,  startin'  to  take 
off  the  record.  "The  tunes  of  most  of  the  Hawaiian 
songs  wuz  tak'n  from  old  Methodist  hymns  thet 
the  sacrificin'  missionaries  took  there  years  and 
years  ago.  The  natives  learned  these  gospel  songs 
and  they  used  to  sing  them  at  services  the  mis- 
sionaries held.  Then  they  began  to  play  'em  on 
their  guitars  and  make  up  songs  in  their  own  gib- 
berish, and  finally  they  made  'em  into  what  most 
people  now  think  is  real  Hawaiian  music." 

Missus  Larkin  perked  up  considerable. 

"What  did  you  say  the  name  of  thet  song  wuz?" 
she  asked. 

"Yaaka  Hula  Hickey  Dula,"  I  told  her. 

"They  don't  sound  like  Scriptural  characters," 
she  said,  with  a  kind'a  puzzled  look  on  her  face.  I 
bet  she  was  runnin'  over  the  Old  Testament  to  find 
out  if  any  of  them  wuz  the  sons  of  Jabeth  or  some 
of  them  other  old-timers. 

"It's  the  music  thet  wuz  taken  from  the  old 
hymns,"  I  says.  "I  don't  know  much  about  the 
words." 

"Well,  you  might  start  it  again,"  she  says  in  a 
kind'a  unconcerned  way.  "If  there  is  any  hymn 
music  in  it,  it  must  be  good." 

Converted 

So  pretty  soon  the  strains  of  thet  old  Fox  Trot 
song  wuz  comin'  out  in  fine  shape.  As  she  heard 
them,  she  nodded  her  head  up  and  down  as  though 
she  was  approvin'  of  it. 

"It  sounds  just  like  hymn  music,"  she  says  at 
last.  "I  don't  approve  of  them  words  exactly,  but 
then  you  don't  have  to  listen  to  them.  I  guess  I'll 
take  thet  record.  Have  you  any  more  of  them 
Hawaiian  hymn  tunes?" 

I  got  out  all  the  Hawaiian  records  I  hed  in  stock 
and  I'll  be  swanked  if  I  didn't  sell  her  every  one  of 
'em.  I  could  see  thet  she  wuz  just  hungerin'  fur 
somethin'  new  and  when  she  got  a'quainted  with 
Hawaiian   music   from   the    right   angle   she  got  ez 


friendly  with  it  as  I  am  with  Sim  Davis.  I  met 
the  parson  next  day — he  saw  me  before  I  could  get 
out'a  his  way.  But  he  surprised  me  by  tellin'  me 
thet  those  were  fine  records  that  I  hed  sold  Missus 
Larkin,  though  it  wuz  a  shame  to  put  such  triflin' 
words  to  sacred  tunes.  But,  when  I  wuz  goin'  past 
the  pars'nage  later  in  the  day,  I  hears  his  solumn 
baritone  voice  floatin'  out: 

"Ya-a-a — k-a-a  H-u-u-u-la-a-a  Hie — e-e-e-e  Du- 
u-u-u — 1-a-a,"  he  wuz  singin'. 

And  I  bet  he  wuz  havin'  the  time  of  his  life,  even 
if  he  did  feel  a  little  bit  wicked  about  it. 

And  th'  next  Sunday,  when  I  wuz  just  dozin' 
away  comfortable  in  church,  I  hears  the  parson's 
voice  say: 

"And  Yaaka  went  over  into  the  land  of  Hula — " 

I  woke  up  with  a  start,  in  time  to  see  the  parson 
kind'a  blush  and  check  hisself  and  say: 

"The  next  hymn  will  be  No.  244,  'On  Thet  Beau- 
tiful Island  Over  There.'" 


INDIANA  DEALERS  ENTHUSE  OVER 
AMBEROLA  LINE 

KR.  MOSES,  Amberola  sales  manager,  was 
#  among  those  who  attended  the  convention 
of  Edison  dealers  who  are  located  in  the  zone  of 
W.  E.  Kipp  of  Indianapolis,  which  was  held  in  that 
city  October  2-3.  Mr.  Moses  attended  the  gathering 
for  the  purpose  of  determining  the  attitude  that  the 
dealers  in  the  zone  take  toward  the  Amberola  line 
and  to  give  the  Amberola  dealers  present  the  benefit 
of  his  wide  experience  with  the  Amberola  line. 
Upon  returning  to  Orange,  Mr.  Moses  expressed 
himself  as  being  greatly  impressed  with  the  rapidly 
growing  esteem  in  which  dealers  are  holding  the 
Amberola  line  and  with  the  increased  attention  that 
they  are  paying  to  the  merchandising  of  it. 

"I  wish  it  could  have  been  possible  for  every 
Amberola  dealer  to  attend  this  convention,  so  that 
they  could  have  absorbed  some  of  the  optimism  and 
enthusiasm  that  was  manifested  in  connection  with 
the  Amberola  line,"  he  said  in  referring  to  the 
gathering.  "In  all  of  Mr.  Kipp's  zone  I  do  not 
believe  that  there  are  more  than  twenty  Edison 
dealers  who  do  not  handle  the  Amberola  and  the 
Blue  Amberol  records  and,  from  the  comments  made 
by  many  of  these,  I  believe  that  fully  one-half  of 
them  will  take  on  the  line  in  the  immediate  future. 
The  dealers  in  the  zone  who  are  handling  the  line 
have  nothing  but  the  most  enthusiastic  praise  for  it. 

"I  have  attended  numerous  conventions  and  I 
want  to  say  that  I  never  met  a  group  of  more  ener- 
getic and  enthusiastic  dealers  than  I  did  at  the 
recent  gathering  in   Indianapolis." 


Miss  Cecile  Mistrot,  an  accomplished  musician, 
has  been  secured  to  demonstrate  Edison  instruments 
by  R.  T.  Dennis  &  Co.,  Amberola  dealers  of  Waco, 
Texas. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  NOVEMBER,  1916 


r 


Odds  of  100  to  50! 


The 

New 

Edison 

Diamond 

Amberola 

Model  50 


$50  Edison  Diamond  Amberola  vs.  $100  "Talking  Machi 


me 


In  the  ball  room  of  the  Hotel  McAlpin,  New-  York  City,  on 
June  23,  1916,  six  hundred  and  fifty  phonograph  experts 
heard  a  $50  EDISON  DIAMOND  AMBEROLA  played  behind 
a  curtain  in  competition  with  a  $100  "talking  machine." 

Numerous  comparisons  were  made. 

These  phonograph  experts  voted  on  each  comparison,  with- 
out knowing  the  names  of  the  instruments  for  which  they 
were  voting. 

They  were  UNANIMOUS  on  everv  comparison  for  the 
$50  EDISON  DIAMOND  AMBEROLA. 

00«*'£&?'f,~~  The  Edison  Diamond  Amberola  represents  at  least  twice  the 
value  of  any  "talking  machine."  We  challenge  any  "talking 
machine"  to  meet  the  same  test  made  at  the  McAlpin  last  June. 


Hotel 

McAlpin 

New  York 
City 


We  invite  you .  to   come   in  and   hear  this  wonderful  new 
product  of  Edison's  genius. 

YOU  OWE  IT  TO  YOURSELF  TO  HEAR  THE  DIAMOND 
AMBEROLA  BEFORE  YOU  BUY.       COME  IN  TODAY. 


Here's  a  reproduction  of  an  Amberola  hanger  recently  sent  out  to  dealers.  Many  have 
already  told  us  that  it  is  a  straight-from-the-shoulder  "knockout."  What  do  you  think? 
That  combination  of  dark  brown,  with  orange-red  on  a  cream  tinted  paper  is  pretty  rich, 
don't  you   think? 


This   hanger    is   worth   putting  where   folks 
says   something. 


ill   see   it,   for    it    has    the    looks    and    it 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  NOVEMBER,  1916 


KIPP  PHONO  COMPANY  TREATS 
EMPLOYEES  TO  OUTING 

THE  Kipp  Phonograph  Company  of  Indiana- 
polis, besides  being  alive  and  up-to-date  in 
other  ways,  believes  that  the  policy  of  showing  con- 
sideration to  its  employees  and  taking  an  interest  in 


4* 

fl'j|     4J-   $ 

ft  # 

*H 

8S* 

#* 

their  welfare  is  good  business.  Recently  the  Kipp  es- 
tablishment was  closed  for  a  day  while  employers 
and  employees  held  an  enjoyable  outing  at  a  quiet 
pleasure  resort  near  Indianapolis.  The  members  of 
the  firm  provided  a  fine  chicken  dinner  at  noon  and 
a  lunch  in  the  evening  and  also  met  the  other  ex- 
penses incidental  to  the  affair.  A  program  of  sports 
that  included  a  ball  game,  bowling,  croquet  and 
other  events  provided  entertainment  during  the 
day  and  in  the  evening  fireworks  and  dancing  were 
enjoyed.  The  music  for  dancing  was  provided  by 
an  Amberola.  Did  those  who  attended  the  affair 
have  a  good  time?  Glance  over  the  happy  faces  in 
the  picture  given  herewith  and  judge  for  yourself. 


DIRECT  COMPARISONS  BRING 
RESULTS 

DIRECT  comparison  is  being  used  with  good 
results  by  Martin  L.  Benson,  Amberola  deal- 
er of  Dongola,  111.,  according  to  a  letter  received 
from  him  in  response  to  our  request  for  "Newsday" 
contributions.  Mr.  Benson  is  working  in  competi- 
tion with  many  varieties  of  cheap  talking-machines 
but  he  finds  that  it  is  not  difficult  to  convince  pros- 
pects that  they  get  more  real  value  for  their  money 
when  they  purchase  an  Edison  than  they  do  when 
they  invest  in  some  built-to-sell  music  box.  His 
letter  is  one  of  many  recently  received  in  which 
direct  comparison  is  advocated  as  the  best  means 
of  demonstrating  the  superiority  of  the  Amberola 
over  any  and   all  makes  of  talking-machines. 

"In  reply  to  your  request  for  a  few  lines  on 
'Newsday,'  "  states  Mr.  Benson,  "I  would  say  that 
I  secure  my  prospects  in  three  ways:  advertising  in 
local  papers,  sending  advertising  through  the  mail, 
and  by  giving  concerts.     After  securing  a  prospect 


I  endeavor  to  make  arrangements  for  a  home 
demonstration  as  I  find  this  a  most  effective  way  of 
closing  sales.  The  question  of  price  is  one  big 
obstacle  in  making  sales.  This  section  is  flooded 
with  offers  of  cheap  talking-machines  by  the  great 
mail  order  houses  of  Chicago.  Some  of  these  instru- 
ments sell  as  low  as  $4.50  each  and  from  the  claims 
that  are  made  for  them  you  would  think  that  they 
could  not  be  surpassed  in  construction  or  tone. 

"In  demonstrating,  I  endeavor  to  impress  on  the 
mind  of  the  customer  the  fact  that  the  Edison  is 
immeasurably  superior  in  tonal  quality  to  any  talk- 
ing-machine and  that  it  is  far  above  all  competing 
instruments  in  mechanical  excellence.  If  you  can 
convince  them  that  the  Edison  is  far  better  than 
the  cheap  machines  it  is  not  difficult  to  make  them 
appreciate  that  it  is  cheaper  in  the  long  run  to  buy 
an  Edison  than  to  throw  their  money  away  on  an 
inferior  phonograph.  Playing  a  talking-machine 
in  direct  comparison  with  an  Amberola  is  the  best 
way  of  overcoming  competition  and  impressing 
prospects  with  the  fact  that  the  Amberola  is  beyond 
comparison  with  'talkers.'  " 


LET  THE  AMBEROLA  SPEAK    FOR 
ITSELF 

A  RECOMMENDATION  of  the  policy  of  giv- 
ing demonstrations  at  lodge  meetings,  church 
gatherings  and  country  school  entertainments  is 
contained  in  a  letter  from  George  E.  Buss,  Amber- 
ola dealer  at  New  Philadelphia,  Ohio.  Mr.  Buss 
says  that  he  has  known  sales  to  result  from  such 
demonstrations  as  long  as  a  year  after  they  were 
made.  The  writer  was  one  of  the  many  who  re- 
sponded to  our  request  for  Newsday  letters,  and  his 
communication,  excerpts  from  which  are  given 
below,  was  very  interesting. 

"To  say  that  I  am  an  Edison  dealer  heart  and 
soul  is  expressing  the  situation  modestly,"  writes 
Mr.  Buss.  "I  have  handled  the  Edison,  with  other 
lines,  for  many  years  but  the  Edison  is  my  favorite 
and  the  profit-making  possibilities  in  it  are  greater 
than  in   any  of  the  other  goods  that  I  handle. 

"I  used  to  wish  that  the  Edison  business  would 
become  again  as  active  as  it  was  in  1903-04  and, 
now  that  it  has  come  back  with  extraordinary  good 
measure,    I   am   going  to   take   advantage   of   it. 

"I  have  gone  so  far  with  my  Edison  advertising 
that  many  times  people  on  the  street  call  me  Edison. 
I  am  glad  to  hear  this  for  it  surely  shows  that 
advertising  pays.  I  never  lose  an  opportunity  to 
get  the  Amberola  before  the  people  and  show  it  at 
lodges,  church  festivals,  school  entertainments,  etc. 
I  have  known  sales  to  result  from  such  demonstra- 
tions more  than  a  year  after  they  were  given." 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  NOVEMBER,  1916 


NEW  AMBEROLA   CATALOG 
A  BEAUTY 

AN  AMBEROLA  catalog  that  is  strikingly 
handsome  in  appearance  and  very  effective 
in  design  has  just  been  issued  by  Thomas  A.  Edi- 
son, Inc.,  and  now  being  placed  in  the  hands  of 
Edison  jobbers. 

Lavishly  illustrated   in  four  colors,  containing  a 
most  interesting   and   thorough   description   of  Am- 


berola  instruments  and  Blue  Amberol  records,  and 
presenting  an  abundance  of  other  information  of 
value  to  owners  or  prospective  owners  of  Am- 
berolas,  the  new  Amberola  instrument  catalog  is 
the  finest,  from  every  standpoint,  that  ever  was 
issued  for  the  use  of  Amberola  dealers.  It  is  a 
twenty-page  booklet,  approximately  seven  by  ten 
inches  in  size.  The  front  cover  is  in  cream  and 
blue  with  the  title,  "A  Master  Product  of  a  Master 
Mind,"  embossed  in  gold.  Beneath  this  is  a  home 
scene  in  four  colors,  showing  the  Amberola  as  it 
may  appear  in  a  family  circle  where  everyone, 
from  the  children  to  the  old  people,  enjoys  its  music. 
The  forepart  of  the  catalog,  among  other  things, 
contains  a  superb  picture  of  Mr.  Edison  and  a 
panoramic  view  of  the  Edison  factories  at  Orange, 


N.  J.  The  introduction  calls  attention  to  the  in- 
fluence that  music  has  in  the  home;  how  it  insures 
happiness  and  comfort.  Illustrating  the  introduc- 
tory matter  are  three  more  home  scenes  in  four 
colors  that  emphasize,  in  a  most  effective  way, 
the  enjoyment  that  the  possession  of  an  Amberola 
affords.  These  pictures  contain  a  wealth  of  sug- 
gestion and,  together  with  the  explanatory  material, 
they  provide  a  most  attractive  introduction  to  the 
more  technical  descriptions  that  follow.  A  full 
page  is  devoted  to  an  illustration  in  natural  colors, 
and  detailed  description  of  each  of  the  three  models 
of  the  Amberola.  The  color  work  on  these  instru- 
ment illustrations  is  superbly  done  and  they  present 
a  rich  and  highly  attractive  appearance. 

Then  there  is  a  color  cut  of  a  group  of  Blue 
Amberol  Records  and  a  description  of  their  merits. 
An  imposing  list  of  Amberola  artists,  with  a  few 
salient  facts  concerning  them,  is  given  on  the  next 
page  and  this  is  followed  by  a  page  that  is  devoted 
to  emphasizing  the  advantage  of  the  Edison  Gen- 
uine Diamond  Reproducer,  with  which  all  Ara- 
berolas  are  equipped.  Mention  also  is  made  of  the 
Blue  Amberol  attachment,  the  device  that  may  be 
attached  to  old-style  wax  record  instruments  to 
convert  them  into  instruments  that  will  play  the 
new  Blue  Amberol  records.  The  inside  of  the 
back  cover  of  the  catalog  contains  a  free  trial 
application  form  that  may  be  filled  in  and  presented 
to  a  dealer  by  any  person  who  wishes  to  have  an 
Amberola  on  trial  for  ten  days. 

In  every  way  this  catalog  fills  all  the  require- 
ments of  both  dealer  and  prospective  customer  and 
it  will  be  a  strong  factor  in  stimulating  Amberola 
business  this  winter. 


NEW  YORK   UNIVERSITY   HONORS 
MR.  EDISON 

The  degree  of  doctor  of  laws  recently  was  con- 
ferred upon  Thomas  A.  Edison  by  Dr.  John  H. 
Finley,  president  of  the  University  of  the  State  of 
New  York.  Mr.  Edison  was  in  his  laboratory  in 
Orange,  N.  J.,  while  Dr.  Finley  was  in  the  audi- 
torium of  the  New  York  educational  building  in 
Albany,  and  the  honor  was  conferred  upon  Mr. 
Edison  by  means  of  the  telephone.  The  auditorium 
at  Albany  had  been  fitted  up  with  800  telephones 
and  that  many  persons  listened  while  Dr.  Finley 
conferred  and  Mr.  Edison  accepted  the  degree.  It 
was  the  first  occasion  on  which  such  a  transaction 
was  consummated  by  telephone. 

In  conferring  the  degree,  Dr.  Finley  mentioned 
the  importance  of  the  contributions  that  Mr.  Edison 
has  made  to  art  and  science.  In  the  Edison 
laboratory  a  number  of  persons  heard  the  address 
by  branch  telephones. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  NOVEMBER,  1916 


Edison   Phonograph   Monthly 


Published  in  the  interests  of 

THE  NEW  EDISON  DIAMOND  AMBEROLA 

AND 

BLUE  AMBEROL  RECORDS 

By  Thomas  A.  Edison,  Inc. 

ORANGE,  N.  J.,  U.  S.  A. 

Editorial 

The  approach  of  Christmas 
Christmas  marks  the  coming  of  the  most 

profitable  season  of  the  year 
for  many  merchants. 

Edison  dealers  in  particular  can  make  the  season 
a  productive  one  because  the  Amberola  is  an  ideal 
Christmas  gift. 

The  Amberola  has  a  great  advantage  in  its 
comparatively  low  cost,  especially  at  this  season 
of  the  year  when  thousands  of  purchasers  to  whom 
cost  is  an  important  consideration  are  in  the  market. 

Your  own  business  acumen  should  tell  you  that 
now  is  the  time  to  undertake  an  unusually  active 
campaign  to  advertise  the  Amberola  and  to  keep 
its  excellence  as  a  Christmas  gift  constantly  before 
the  public. 

Every  effort  you  make  along  this  line  will  bring 
you  maximum  results  because  of  the  favorable 
influence  of  the  holiday  season  and  the  Christmas 
spirit. 

And  remember,  that  every  instrument  sold  now 
will  help  you  in  keeping  your  business  active 
throughout  the  year  by  the  demand  for  records  it 
will  create.  The  active  business  that  you  can  do 
now  by  a  comparatively  slight  increase  of  your 
efforts  will  assist  you  during  other  periods  when 
it  requires  greater  exertion  to  keep  your  sales  up 
to  the  maximum. 


Did  you  ever  notice  that  the  chief 
A   Hint       aim  of  the  mail  order  houses  is  to 

win  customers  and  then  keep  them 
satisfied  by  offering  and  providing  the  very  acme  of 
service.  The  catalogs  of  these  large  and  highly 
successful  concerns  emphasize  service  almost  as 
much  as  they  emphasize  prices  and,  in  the  case  of 
the  better  class  of  mail  order  house,  even  more. 
Every  effort  is  made  to  make  it  convenient  for  a 
customer  to  deal  with  them  and  every  reasonable 
means  of  insuring  satisfied  customers  is  taken 
advantage  of. 

It  is  because  these  large  concerns  have  service 
as  a  foundation  for  their  success  that  they  continue 
to  emphasize  the  value  of  service  and  therein  lies 
a  valuable  hint  for  the  smaller  merchants.  The 
most  efficient  service  is  personal  service  and  this 
is  something  that  the  mail-order  house  cannot  give. 
Such  a  concern,  no  matter  how  vast  its  resources, 


cannot  give  customers  the  close  attention  that  the 
small  dealer  can.  You  can  take  your  tool-kit  and 
your  oil-can  and  make  the  rounds  of  Amberola 
owners  in  your  neighborhood  and  give  them  more 
service  and  more  satisfaction  than  a  million  dollar 
corporation  many  miles  away. 

If  you  can  give  your  customers  what  the  biggest 
corporations  only  can  strive  to  give,  don't  you  think 
that  a  little  work  along  the  lines  of  personal  service 
would  pay  you?     We  do. 


There  is  something  of 
Curtain  Tests  irony  in  the  fact  that  the 
talking-machine,  once  con- 
sidered a  competitor  of  the  Amberola,  is  becoming 
a  very  powerful  factor  in  stimulating  Amberola 
sales.  This  is  the  situation  that  has  obtained,  how- 
ever, since  the  curtain  test  has  become  a  recognized 
and  authorized  method  of  demonstrating  the  supe- 
riority of  the  Amberola  over  the  talking-machine. 
The  merits  of  this  form  of  competitive  test  hav 
been  recognized  for  a  long  time  and  it  has  beei. 
used  very  effectively  by  numerous  dealers  on  many 
occasions  in  the  past.  But  now  it  is  coming  to 
dominate  all  other  methods  of  demonstrating  the 
Amberola  and  is  occupying  a  prominent  position 
in  Amberola  merchandising. 

The  aim  of  salesmanship  is  to  convince  a  prospect 
beyond  any  doubt  that  your  merchandise  is  the  best 
obtainable  at  the  price,  or  at  least,  better  than  that 
of  your  immediate  competitor.  The  curtain  test, 
as  applied  to  the  Amberola,  attains  this  end  with 
simplicity  and  directness.  It  affords  absolute  proof 
that  the  Diamond  Amberola  is  superior  to  the 
talking-machine.  It  leaves  no  opportunity  for 
argument — no  reason  for  discussion.  It  allows  the 
prospect  to  participate  in  the  experiment  and  it 
makes  the  prospect  a  judge  of  the  results.  By 
means  of  it,  claims  are  unnecessary  and  assertions 
superfluous.  Its  effectiveness  is  attested  to  by  the 
fact  that  a  rapidly  increasing  number  of  dealer, 
are  making  use  of  it  every  day. 

If  you  desire  to  secure  a  maximum  business  you 
will  use  the  newest  and  most  effective  methods  of 
making  demonstrations.  Curtain  tests  bring  results. 
If  you  are  not  thoroughly  convinced,  try  one. 


You  do  not  have  to  own  the 
An  Example       biggest   store    in   town   to   be 

the  biggest  merchant  in  town. 
W.  D.  Wilmot  of  Fall  River,  Mass.,  an  Edison 
dealer,  is  the  most  popular  merchant  in  that  city 
and  he  recently  obtained  substantial  recognition  of 
this  when  he  was  presented  a  loving  cup  by  the 
members  of  the  Fall  River  Merchants'  Association. 
It  was  given  him  in  token  of  the  work  that  he  had 
done  in  behalf  of  the  organization  and  as  a  tribute 
to  the  high  ideals  in  merchandising  that  he  has 
advocated  and  practiced.     And  it  represented  more 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  NOVEMBER,  1916 


than  these  things.  In  a  broad  way  the  presentation 
was  a  mark  of  respect  paid  to  an  active  and  public 
spirited  citizen  and  an  aggressive  and  fair  dealing 
merchant,  for  Mr.  Wilmot  is  all  that  a  citizen 
should  be  as  well  as  all  that  a  merchant  should  be. 

It  is  certain  that  Mr.  Wilmot  does  not  conduct 
the  largest  store  in  Fall  River,  but  it  equally  is 
certain  that  he  is  a  leading  spirit  among  the  mer- 
chants of  the  city.  It  is  not  his  practice  to  close 
his  store  at  six  o'clock  in  the  evening  and  forget 
about  business  until  eight  o'clock  the  next  morning. 
He  is  not  merely  in  business.  He  lives  business. 
He  mixes  with  other  merchants — he  is  a  leader  in 
civic  improvement  projects.  When  they  want  a 
live-wire  on  a  committee  they  go  over  to  Wilmot's 
store  and  collar  him,  because  they  know  that  he 
will  be  willing  to  serve  and  they  know  that  his 
service  will  be  freely  given  and  conscientious.  He 
is  the  new  and  modern  type  of  business  man.  He 
is  the  ideal  dealer. 

We  don't  believe  that  Dealer  Wilmot's  good 
work  is  done  simply  out  of  a  desire  to  stimulate 
his  business.  What  we  emphasize  is  the  fact  that 
his  activities  and  ideals  have  paid  him  big  divi- 
dends. He  is  considered  one  of  the  best  Edison 
dealers  in  the  United  States. 


SEPTEMBER  BLUE  AMBEROLS 
WIN  APPROVAL 

THE  all  around  excellence  of  the  September  list 
of  Blue  Amberol  Records  compelled  one  dealer 
to  sit  down,  as  soon  as  he  had  played  them  over, 
and  write  us  an  enthusiastic  letter  commending  the 
assortment.  The  letter  in  question  came  from  E. 
W.  Coburn  &  Son,  Amberola  dealers  at  Waterloo, 
la.,  a  firm  that  has  handled  Edison  phonographs 
for  many  years.  The  testimony,  from  such  a  source, 
that  "the  September  list  is  the  best  since  the  first 
list  of  fifty,"  means  something  and  it  should  impress 
dealers  who  are  overlooking  the  rapidly  improving 
quality  of  Blue  Amberols  that  some  interesting 
developments  are  taking  place. 

''We  just  have  received  and  played  over  the 
September  list  of  Blue  Amberol  records,"  states 
Mr.  Coburn.  "It  is  some  list.  So  much  so  that  we 
want  to  tell  you  that  we  think  it  is  the  best  since 
the  first  list  of  fifty.  The  writer  always  has  con- 
tended that  a  small  list  each  month  and  every 
record  a  hit  would  result  in  larger  sales  than  a  big 
list  and  many  of  the  records  of  indifferent  quality. 

"But  a  list  such  as  tve  have  for  September  is  sure 
to   make  a  record  for  sales. 

"We  want  to  tell  you  of  a  sale  where  we  went 
into  competition  with  every  old  talking-machine 
(six  in  all)  and  won  out  with  an  Amberola  75. 
This  is  a  common  stunt  for  us  with  the  Disc  but 
this  time  it  was  the  'old  reliable'  that  turned  the 
trick." 


FELLOW  MERCHANTS   HONOR 
DEALER  WILMOT 

THE  members  of  the  Fall  River  Merchants' 
Association  recently  presented  William  D. 
Wilmot,  Edison  dealer  of  that  city  and  one  of  the 
livest  Edisonites  we  know,  with  a  handsome  and 
costly  loving  cup.  The  gift  was  a  tribute  to  his 
work  in  behalf  of  the  organization  and  to  the  high 
ideals  in  merchandising  that  he  always  has  advo- 
cated  and   sponsored  in  Fall  River.     In  presenting 


Dealer  Wilmot  and  His  Cup 

the  cup,  Warren  S.  Barker,  a  former  president  of 
the  organization,  stated  that  Mr.  Wilmot  was  en- 
titled to  the  highest  respect  of  every  member  of 
the  association  and  the  appreciation  of  the  organi- 
zation as  a  whole. 

"We  appreciate  the  good  work  that  he  has  done 
for  this  association,  extending  over  a  period  of 
many  years.  This  work  has  not  been  spasmodic, 
but  continuous  service  on  his  part.  In  the  morning 
and  at  midday  he  works,  and  at  night  his  brain 
is  busy  on  thoughts  of  what  more  he  can  do  for 
our  success.  For  several  years  he  has  been  preach- 
ing the  doctrine  of  brotherly  love,  and  I  want  to 
ask  you  who  has  demonstrated  it  more  thoroughly 
than  he  has.  He  never  has  been  envious  of  the 
successful  and  he  always  has  been  ready  with  kind 
words  and  substantial  help  for  the  unfortunate. 
I  know  of  no  better  words  to  use  in  describing  him 
than  those  inscribed  on  this  beautiful  silver  loving 
cup: 

"  'Given  in  friendly  appreciation  of  the  untiring 
efforts  of  our  fellow  member,  William  D.  Wilmot, 
who  by  his  work  and  thought  has  done  more  for 
our  success  than  any  other  member.'  " 


10 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  NOVEMBER,  1916 


Governor  Ills  and  Cures 


OCCASIONALLY  we  are  asked  for  informa- 
tion concerning  the  care  and  adjustment  of 
the  governor  that  is  designed  to  keep  the  speed  of 
the  revolving  record  absolutely  steady.  Frequent 
changes  in  the  pitch  of  the  music,  an  unnatural 
tremolo  effect  in  the  music  or  a  whirring  sound  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  governor  usually  indicate  that 
the  governor  or  adjoining  parts  of  the  motor  are 
in  need  of  attention.  It  is  recommended,  however, 
that  before  any  regulation  of  the  governor  is  made, 
the  motor  should  be  inspected  in  other  parts  to  see 
if  the  spring-barrel,  its  shaft,  or  the  gears  and 
bearings,  do  not  require  lubrication.  Want  of  oil 
would  result  in  unnecessary  friction  in  the  motor 
with  its  consequent  changing  of  speed  and  the 
exhibition  of  some  of  the  symptoms  that  might  be 
observed  if  the  governor  was  out  of  adjustment. 
The  accompanying  cut  makes  clear  the  procedure 
that  is  recommended  in  the  following  information 
provided  by  the  Mechanical  Department  of  the 
Musical  Phonograph  Division.  A  reading  of  the 
paragraphs  below,  with  reference  to  the  cut,  will 
make  thoroughly  clear  to  you  the  most  approved 
manner  of  locating  and  adjusting  any  difficulties 
that  may  have  their  origin  in  the  governor  or  that 


are  indicated  by  the  faulty  operation  of  this  part 
of  the  motor. 

"The  felt  cushions  (1)  will  not  have  a  uniform 
effect  upon  the  friction  disc  if  they  become  clogged 
up  with  dirt  and  gummy  grease.  They  should  be 
cleansed,  if  necessary,  with  benzine  and  lubricated 
with  Edison  Diamond  Oil. 

"The  small  bearing  (2)  at  one  end  of  the  gov- 
ernor shaft  and  a  similar  bearing  at  the  other  end 
of  the  same  shaft  should  be  oiled  frequently  to 
prevent  the  surface  from  roughing  up.  Make  cer- 
tain that  the  shaft  turns  freely  in  these  bearings. 
The  cause  of  unsatisfactory  regulation  and  squeak- 
ing may  often  be  found  in  the  lack  of  sufficient 
lubrication  of  these  bearings.  A  new  shaft  would 
be  required  if  the  ends  become  rough  through  lack 
of  sufficient  oil  to  lubricate  them  properly. 

"An  unpleasant  tremolo  in  the  music  may  be 
caused  by  neglect  to  oil  the  bearing  of  the  cylinder 
on  which  the  record  goes.  Lack  of  lubrication  at 
this  point  will  prevent  the  cylinder  from  turning 
smoothly.  From  time  to  time  oil  should  be  dropped 
in  the  oil  hole  (3)  of  the  bearing  and  also  at  the 
other  end  of  the  cylinder. 

"A  governor  which  has  become  wobbly  or  un- 
balanced usually  makes  a  whirring  sound  and  runs 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  NOVEMBER,  1916 


11 


unsteadily.  A  repairman  often  steadies  or  balances 
it  again  by  simply  poking  his  finger  against  the 
whirling  governor  weights.  The  best  way,  how- 
ever, to  make  this  adjustment  is  to  loosen  slightly 
{not  more  than  one-quarter  of  a  turn)  the  two 
small  slotted  screws  (4)  at  the  end  of  the  governor 
springs.  Then  let  the  motor  run  and  the  governor 
weights  generally  will  spin  themselves  into  a  bal- 
anced and  quiet-running  condition.  You  may  find 
it  necessary  to  loosen  in  this  way  the  two  screws 
at  the  other  end  of  the  governor  springs.  When 
the  governor  has  whirled  itself  into  adjustment, 
tighten  the  screws  again. 

"If  this  method  should  fail,  hold  the  point  of  a 
pencil  or  a  piece  of  chalk  against  the  weights  while 
they  are  revolving  in  order  to  determine  which 
weight  is  running  the  further  away  from  the  center. 
Then  raise  the  other,  or  shorter,  running  weight, 
springing  it  very  slightly  with  a  small  screw  driver 
inserted    between    the    spring    and    the    shaft    (5)." 


HE  AIMED  TO    PLEASE 

From  a  Southern  town  comes  the  story  of  a  sales- 
man who  thought  that  the  height  of  selling  art  and 
diplomacy  lay  in  agreeing  with  every  opinion  ex- 
pressed by  a  prospect.  He  was  trying  to  sell  a 
phonograph  to  a  lady  who  was  very  religious  and 
who  was  attending  revival  meetings  that  were  being 
held  each  evening  at  one  of  the  town  churches. 

By  means  of  a  highly  developed  gift  of  "bluff"  he 
managed  to  create  the  impression  that  he,  too,  was 
highly  devout  and  an  excellent  young  man  to  assist 
in  a  business  way.  That  is,  he  created  this  im- 
pression until  one  time  his  prospect  happened  to 
ask  him  if  he  ever  had  read  the  Book  of  Revelations. 
This  was  a  poser  for  the  salesman,  but,  as  usual, 
he  took  a  chance. 

"No,  but  I  would  like  to,"  was  his  reply.  "Will 
you  tell  me  who  wrote  it  and  where  I  can  buy  it?" 

After  that  the  dealer  himself  had  to  handle  the 
prospect. 


Musical  Merriment 


A  NATURAL  CONCLUSION 
Junk   Dealer — Any    rags?     Any   old    phonograph 

records,   any  old  music  rolls? 

Man — No.    Don't  bother  me.    Go  away!    There's 

nothing  for  you.     My  wife's  away. 

Junk  Dealer — Any  old  bottles? — Music  Trades. 


VERY! 

"  'Lucia  di  Lammermoor'  is  a  great  favorite  of 
mine,"  said  Mrs.  Van  Spender  to  Mrs.  Climber, 
whom  she  was  entertaining  at  the  opera. 

"I've  never  met  her,"  said  Mrs.  Climber.  "Is  she 
attractive?" — Music  Trade  Review. 


SOME  BABY 

"I  wish  you  would  stop  that  howling  baby  of 
yours,"  growled  the  bachelor. 

"Why,  the  baby  is  very  popular  in  the  neighbor- 
hood!"  protested   the  mother. 

"It  is  a  nuisance !  When  it  cries  I  can't  hear 
myself  sing." 

"That's  why  it's  popular." — Musical  America. 


WHY  NOT  DUMB  BELLS? 
Pater — "Who  is  making  that  infernal   jangle   on 

the  piano?" 

Mater — "That's  Constance  at  her  exercise." 
Pater — "Well,  for  heaven's  sake,   tell   her  to  get 

her  exercise  some  other  way." — Boston  Transcript. 


PLAYING  ON  WORDS 

"His  music  is  so  violent!"  complained  the  critic 
with  a  shudder. 

"Well,  I  suppose  it  is  possible  for  even  violent 
music  to  be  composed,"  replied  the  professional 
jokesmith,  making  a  note  on  his  cuff. — Judge. 


FIDDLE-DEE-DEE 
"That  guy   Stradivarius  must  be   a  wonder,"   re- 
marked the  Lowbrow. 

"He  was  the  greatest  violin  maker  of  all  time," 
replied  the  Man  of  Culture. 

"I  don't  doubt  it.  I  see  where  a  man  paid  $5,000 
for  one  of  his  old  second-hand  fiddles.  Just  think 
what  it  must  have  been  worth  when  it  was  new!" — 

Music  Review. 


YOUTHFUL  APPRECIATION 

Little  Gerald  was  being  initiated  into  the  beau- 
ties of  grand  opera,  says  the  New  York  Times. 
He  listened  for  some  time  in  silence,  but  when  the 
celebrated  soprano  was  in  the  middle  of  her  loud- 
est solo  Gerald  concluded  that  something  ought  to 
be  done  to  the  conductor  of  the  orchestra.  He  said 
to  his  mother: 

"Why  does  that  man  hit  at  the  woman  with  a 
stick?" 

"Keep  quiet,"  his  mother  replied.  "He  is  not 
hitting  at  her." 

Just  then  the  soprano  gave  another  despairing 
shriek. 

"Well,  then,  if  he  isn't  hitting  at  her,  what  is  she 
hollering  for?"  said  Gerald. 


12 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  NOVEMBER,  1916 


Keeping  in  Touch  with  Edison  Artists 


Andre  Benoist,  who  makes  Blue  Amberol  piano 
records,  has  considerable  trouble  with  his  name, 
which  should  be  pronounced  "Ben-wah."  He  is 
rather  inclined  to  take  offense  if  phonetic  pronun- 
ciation is  applied  to  it,  so,  in  introducing  him,  it  is 
the  custom  of  his  friends  to  emphasize  the  "wah." 
Mr.  Benoist  has  the  distinction  of  being  accompanist 
to  Albert  Spalding  and  recently  the  latter  had 
occasion  to  introduce  him  to  a  bevy  of  sweet  young 
maidens  who  came  up  to  greet  Mr.  Spalding  at 
the  conclusion  of  a  concert.  It  would  have  been 
all  right  if  Mr.  Benoist  did  not  have  slightly  slant- 
ing eyes.  But  one  of  the  girJs,  catching  the  em- 
phatic "wah"  of  Mr.  Spalding  and  noting  the 
peculiar  Oriental  eyes  of  Mr.  Benoist,  mistook  the 
latter  for  an  Oriental  and  greeted  him  effusively 
as  "Mr.  Wah." 


Anita  Rio,  the  American  soprano,  has  entered 
upon  the  most  active  season  of  her  career.  During 
the  coming  months  she  will  be  heard  in  numerous 
oratorios  and  recitals,  her  schedule  calling  for  her 
appearance  in  many  of  the  large  musical  centers 
of  this  country.  Mme.  Rio  is  noted  particularly 
for  her  brilliant  and  sympathetic  interpretations  of 
foreign  songs,  her  long  residence  in  various  Euro- 
pean capitals  giving  her  the  qualifications  essential 
to  this  branch  of  her  art. 


Reed  Miller  and  Nevada  Van  Der  Veer  (Mrs. 
Reed  Miller)  made  a  splendid  impression  on  New 
England  audiences  during  the  course  of  a  Chau- 
tauqua tour  through  Vermont,  New  Hampshire  and 
Maine  in  the  latter  part  of  the  summer  and  in 
the  early  fall.  Their  itinerary  also  took  them  into 
New  York  State,  where  they  appeared  at  Platts- 
burg  and  sang  to  the  "rookies"  encamped  there  in 
large  numbers.  Mr.  Miller  has  been  engaged  for 
the  "Messiah"  performances  of  the  New  York  Ora- 
torio Society  at  Carnegie  Hall,  New  York,  and  by 
the  Handel  and  Haydn  Society  of  Boston,  while 
Nevada  Van  Der  Veer  is  to  sing  with  the  New 
York  Oratorio  Society  in  its  presentation  of  Men- 
delssohn's "Elijah." 


Among  the  artists  who  will  be  heard  at  five 
musical  afternoons  of  the  Tuesday  Salon,  to  be  held 
in  the  Grand  Ballroom  at  Sherry's,  New  York,  in 
January  and  February,  are  Marie  Rappold,  Anna 
Case,  Albert  Spalding  and  Andre  Benoist.  These 
affairs  are  very  exclusive,  the  most  eminent  artistic 
talent  of  the  musical  world  being  secured  to  enter- 
tain the  elite  of  the  metropolis. 


The  capability  of  an  artist  is  reflected  largely  in 
the  number  of  engagements  and  re-engagements 
that  he   or   she   may   secure    and    it   is   a    splendid 


tribute  to  Marie  Kaiser  to  be  booked  solid  from 
October  1  to  December  16.  A  charming  personality, 
as  well  as  a  voice  of  unusual  beauty,  is  responsible 
for  the  popularity  of  this  gifted  Edison  artist. 


Otto  Goritz,  the  renowned  Metropolitan  Opera 
baritone,  appeared  in  the  role  of  life  saver  at 
Schroon  Lake,  in  the  Adirondacks,  where  he  spent 
the  summer.  He  was  in  his  motor  boat  when  he 
heard  cries  for  assistance  and  his  prompt  response 
resulted  in  the  saving  of  the  lives  of  three  young 
men  who  had  been  thrown  into  the  water  by  the 
capsizing  of  their  canoe. 


Despite  the  fact  that  he  has  been  heard  in  prac- 
tically every  large  city  in  the  United  States;  par- 
ticularly those  along  the  Eastern  seaboard,  Paul 
Althouse  never  has  sung  in  Hartford,  Conn.,  where 
he  will  appear  on  March  13. 


Among  the  honors  that  have  been  conferred  on 
Marie  Rappold  is  that  of  her  appointment  as  court 
singer  to  the  King  of  Roumania,  an  honor  that 
carries  with  it  the  decoration  of  the  Roumanian 
Cross. 


Armand  Vecsey  is  the  composer  of  "The  Waltz 
We  Love,"  an  instrumental  composition  that  rapidly 
is  coming  into  high  favor  the  country  over. 


Herman  Sandby,  the  Danish  'cellist,  will  spend 
most  of  his  time  this  winter  in  New  York.  He  is 
booked  for  a  number  of  metropolitan  recitals  and 
his  programs,  for  the  greater  part,  will  be  composed 
of  his  own  Scandinavian  folk-song  arrangements 
and  his  recently  produced  compositions  for  string 
quartets  and  trios.  His  concerto  for  'cello  also  wil 
have  a  prominent  place  in  his  repertoire. 


Audiences  at  the  Rialto  Theatre  in  New  York 
recently  heard  James  Harrod  render  the  old  favor- 
ite, "I'll  Sing  Thee  Songs  of  Araby."  His  smooth 
style  and  the  beautiful  lyric  quality  of  his  voice 
made  a  splendid  impression  and  he  was  recalled 
for  a  number  of  encores. 


In  speaking  of  the  appearance  of  Mary  Jordan, 
contralto,  with  the  New  York  Civic  Orchestra  at  a 
recent  concert,  Musical  America  states  that  "Miss 
Jordan  is  dowered  with  a  voice  of  beautiful  natural 
quality  and  is  capable  of  filling  the  spaces  of 
Madison  Square  Garden  without  forcing  it.  The 
audience  recalled  her  repeatedly." 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  NOVEMBER,  1916 


13 


Who's  Who  in  the  Blue  Amberol  List 

for  December 


YVONNE  de  TREVILLE,  SOPRANO 

YVONNE  de  TREVILE,  the  famous  French- 
American  coloratura  soprano  who  is  an 
European  favorite  and  who  has  filled  engagements 
in  the  most  noted  opera  houses  of  Europe,  is  the 
latest  artist  of  international  renown  to  be  added 
to  the  notable  list  of  singers  who  are  making  Blue 
Amberol  records.  The  daughter  of  a  French 
musician  of  some  reputation,  de  Treville  was  born 
in  America  and  studied  under  American  masters. 
When  the  development  of  her  voice  reached  a 
stage  that  insured  her  success  in  the  operatic  world, 
she  set  out  to  acquire  the  European  reputation 
that  to  some  seems  essential  to  the  success  of  an 
artist.  For  some  time  after  her  arrival  in  Europe 
she  was  unable  to  secure  a  hearing,  but  finally, 
after  appearing  in  concert  in  Paris,  she  was  en- 
gaged by  the  Opera  Comique. 

Her  success  brought  musical  Europe  to  her  feet 
and  since  then  she  has  sung  from  every  notable 
stage  on  that  continent,  filling  lengthy  engagements 
with  the  Opera  Comique  of  Paris,  the  Opera  Im- 
perial of  St.  Petersburg,  the  Theatre  Royal  de  la 
Monnaie  of  Brussels  and  the  Opera  Imperial  of 
Vienna.  She  is  a  linguist  of  distinguished  attain- 
ments and  is  familiar  with  practically  every  lan- 
guage in  which  opera  and  concert  songs  are  writ- 
ten. In  the  United  States,  where  she  has  been 
heard  in  all  of  the  leading  musical  centers,  she  has 
been  accorded  the  most  enthusiastic  praise  by  the 
music  critics  and  she  is  conceded  to  be  one  of  the 
foremost  coloratura  sopranos  of  the  present  genera- 
tion. 

Her  tones  are  rich  and  wonderfully  clear  and 
flexible.  Her  mastery  of  vocal  technic  is  superb. 
Lescaut's  "L'Eclat  de  Rire,"  which  is  listed  among 
he  December  Blue  Amberols,  reveals  all  the  fine 
qualities  of  tone  and  technic  that  have  placed  this 
singer  in  the  front  rank  of  vocal  artists. 

Few  people  have  not  heard  of  the 
Empire  City  Quartet,  an  organiza- 
tion that  was  a  headline  feature 
in  high-class  vaudeville  for  many 
years,  and  the  majority  of  people 
who  live  in  the  larger  cities  have 
been  entertained  by  the  superb  ren- 
ditions of  these  singers.  On  their 
vaudeville  programs,  the  members 
of  the  organization  presented  solos  and  duets  as 
well  as  quartet  numbers  and  it  was  this,  perhaps, 
that  brought  renown  to  Harry  Mayo  and  Harry 
Tally.  The  latter  was  the  tenor  of  the  organization 
and  his  solos  always  brought  repeated  demands  for 
encores.     And  the  public  seemed  to  appreciate  the 


bass  renditions  of  Mayo,  who  was  also  in  the 
quartet,  about  as  much  as  they  did  the  tenor  num- 
bers of  Tally,  and  both  of  the  artists  gradually 
acquired   individual   prominence. 

They  formed  a  team  to  render  tenor  and  bass 
duets,  which  have  proved  highly  popular  features  of 
their  programs.  It  is  some  time  since 
they  started  to  sing  together  and 
today  their  names  seem  to  have 
become  linked  inseparably,  at  least 
in  the  world  of  vaudeville  music. 
They  specialize  in  songs  and  bal- 
lads of  the  popular  variety  and 
their  voices  seem  to  be  especially 
effective  in  their  characteristic  ar- 
rangements of  this  class  of  numbers.  Their  latest 
production  for  the  Blue  Amberol  catalog  is  a  ren- 
dition of  "I  Was  Never  Nearer  Heaven  In  My 
Life."  This  is  one  of  the  most  popular  songs  of 
the  day,  the  melody  being  sweet  and  simple  and 
the  words  having  a  strong  sentimental  appeal. 

Mayo  and  Tally  sing  it  with  their  usual  good 
taste.     It  is  a  fine  example  of  their  work. 

Robert  Gayler,  who  makes  his  first  appearance 
in  the  Blue  Amberol  catalog  on  the  December  list 
with  a  Celesta  rendition  of  "Christmas  Eve,"  is  a 
musician  of  thorough  training  and  high  ideals. 
Gifted  with  a  talent  for  music,  he  displayed  his 
aptitude  early  in  life  and  at  the  age  of  fifteen 
years  he  was  the  organist  of  one  of  the  largest 
churches  in  Brooklyn.  He  studied  piano  with 
Xavier  Scharwenka,  Walter  Pezet,  A.  K.  Virgil 
and  others  and  his  organ  master  was  Robert  J. 
Winterbottom.  Among  the  teachers  with  whom  he 
studied  harmony  and  composition  are  Gramm  and 
Scharwenka.  He  is  a  superb  pianist  and  organist, 
and  he  has  acted  as  accompanist  to  most  of  the 
well-known  opera  and  concert  singers  now  before 
the  public. 

Mr.  Gayler  was  an  operatic  coach  at  the  Metro- 
politan Opera  House  during  the  Conried  regime. 
At  the  present  time  he  is  conductor  and  musical 
director  for  the  following  organizations:  Christ 
Church,  Brooklyn;  Eighty-sixth  Street  Temple,  New 
York  City;  Elberon  Memorial  Church,  Elberon, 
N.  J.;  Stony  Brook  Assembly,  Long  Island;  Smith- 
town  Chorus,  Long  Island,  and  the  Branford  Choral 
Club  of  Branford,  Conn.  His  mastery  of  the  piano 
and  organ  and  his  thorough  understanding  of  music 
make  him  perhaps  the  foremost  Celesta  player  of 
the  country.  He  became  interested  in  the  possibili- 
ties of  the  Celesta  some  years  ago  and  has  devoted 
considerable  time  and  study  to  this  beautiful  instru- 
ment and  his  renditions  are  unusually  appealing 
and  effective. 


14 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  NOVEMBER,  1916 


Christmas  Records  Feature  of  December 
Blue  Amberol  List 


THE  approach  of  the  Christmas  season  is 
heralded  by  the  Blue  Amberol  December 
supplement,  which  contains  a  number  of  choice 
selections  particularly  appropriate  to  the  holiday 
season.  The  Carol  Singers,  an  organization  that 
has  made  a  number  of  very  fine  Christmas  and 
Easter  records,  is  represented  on  the  December  list 
by  three  splendid  numbers  that  are  going  to  be 
among  the  best-sellers  during  the  winter  months, 
particularly  during  the  holiday  season  itself.  "The 
First  Nowel,"  one  of  these  new  numbers  by  The 
Carol  Singers,  is  a  real  carol  and,  like  most  of 
these  delightful  pieces,  its  origin  is  unknown.  For 
countless  generations  it  has  been  handed  down  and 
its  long  descent  alone  indicates  the  beauty  and 
intrinsic  merit  of  it.  "Joy  to  the  World,"  a  hymn 
that  is  familiar  to  everybody,  is  another  one  of  these 
numbers  and  the  other  is  "Ring  Out,  Wild  Bells." 
"Stille  nacht!  heilige  nacht,"  better  known  as 
"Silent  Night,  Holy  Night,"  is  contributed  by  Mme. 
Rappold.  It  is  one  of  the  world's  most  beautiful 
sacred  melodies.  "Christmas  Morning  With  the 
Kiddies,"  a  charming  descriptive  number,  is  played 
by  the  Peerless  Orchestra  and  "Christmas  Eve,"  a 
fantasy  based  on  old  German  carols,  is  given  as  a 
Celesta  solo  by  Robert  Gayler.  A  number  that  de- 
cidedly is  in  keeping  with  the  holiday  season  is  "In 
the  Toymaker's   Workshop,"   from  "Babes  In   Toy- 


land,"  which  is  rendered  by  the  American  Symphony 
Orchestra.  George  P.  Watson,  the  renowned  yod- 
ler,  renders  the  "Santa  Claus  Song,"  which  is  very 
melodious.. 

In  addition  to  "Stille  nacht!  heilige  nacht,"  there 
are  two  other  superb  concert  numbers  on  the  list. 
Yvonne  de  Treville,  the  noted  French-American 
soprano,  sings  "L'Eclat  de  Rire,"  by  Auber,  in 
French.  Christine  Miller  gives  a  stirring  rendition 
of  "Scots  wha  hae  wi'  Wallace  Bled!"  a  patriotic 
song  that  might  almost  be  called  the  Scottish  na- 
tional anthem. 

The  latest  Broadway  hits  for  December  are: 
"Ireland  Must  Be  Heaven,  For  My  Mother  Came 
From  There,"  "I  Was  Never  Nearer  Heaven  In  My 
Life,"  "Turn  Back  the  Universe  and  Give  Me 
Yesterday,"  "Pretty  Baby,"  "I  Never  Knew,"  "On 
the  South  Sea  Isle,"  "In  Honeysuckle  Time,"  and 
"For  Killarney  and  You."  Among  the  timely  in- 
strumental numbers  are  "You're  a  Dangerous  Girl" 
and  "The  Boomerang,"  two  lively  one-steps;  "My 
Sweet  Sweeting  Waltz"  and  "Mighty  lak'  a  Rose," 
two  fascinating  waltz  numbers,  and  "Battle  of  the 
Marne,"  a  heavy  descriptive  piece  played  by  the 
New  York  Military  Band.  Among  the  old  favorites 
on  the  supplement  are  "Ben  Bolt,"  sung  by  Carolina 
Lazzari,  and  "Annie  Laurie,"  rendered  by  the  Cri- 
terion Quartet. 


Christine  Miller 

Yvonne  de  Treville 

Marie  Rappold 


BLUE  AMBEROL  RECORDS  FOR  DECEMBER 

CONCERT 

28247  Scots,  wha  hae  wi'  Wallace  bled  !  Contralto,  orch.  ace. 

28248  L'Eclat  de  Rire — Manon  Lescaut,  Auber,  Soprano,  orch.  ace. 

28249  Stille  Nacht!  heilige  Nacht,  Gruber,  Soprano,  in  German,  orch.  ace. 

REGULAR 

3012  I  Was  Never  Nearer  Heaven  in  My  Life,  Snyder,  Tenor  and  Bass,  orch.  ace.  Harry  Mayo  and  Harry  Tally 

3013  Ireland  Must  be  Heaven,  For  My  Mother  Came  From  There.  McCarthy-Johnson-Fischer,  Tenor,  orch    ace. 

Walter  Van  Brunt 

3014  You're  a  Dangerous  Girl— One-Step,  for  Dancing  Jaudas'  Society  Orchestra 

3015  On  the  South  Sea  Isle,   H.  Von  Tiller,  Contralto,  orch.  ace.  HeJ?"  Clark 

3016  Mari,  Mari !  Di  Capua,  Baritone,  in  Italian,  orch.  ace.  Thomas  Chalmers 

3017  I  Never  Knew— Canary  Cottage,  Carroll,  Soprano  and  Tenor,  orch.  ace.  Gladys  Rice  and  Walter  Van  Brunt 

3018  Battle  of   the   Marne— Descriptive,   Luxton  New   York  Military  Band 

3019  Pretty  Baby,  Jackson-Fan  Alstvne,  Soprano,  orch.  ace.  Gladys  Rice  and  Chorus 

3020  For  Killarney  and  You,  Teasdale.  Tenor,  orch.  ace.  Charles  Harrison 

3021  Du  Du  and  Doctor  Eisenbart,  Yodler,  in  German,  orch.  ace.  George  P.  Watson 

3022  Ben  Bolt,    Kneass.  Contralto,  orch.  ace.  _     .        ,    Carolina  Lazzari 

3023  The  Boomerang— One-Step,  Maurice,  for  Dancing  ,     National  Promenade  Band 

3024  My  Sweet  Sweeting  Waltz,  Peters,  Hawaiian  Guitars  Helen  Louise  and  Frank  Ferera 

3025  In  Honeysuckle  Time,  Marshall,  Tenor  and  Baritone,  orch.  ace.  Arthur  Collins  and  Byron  G.  Harlan 

3026  Mighty  lak'  a  Rose  Waltz,  for  Dancing  Jaudas    Society  Orchestra 

3027  Turn  Back  the  Universe  and  Give  Me  Yesterday,  Ball,  Tenor,  orch.  ace.  George  Wilton  Ballard 

3028  Annie  Laurie,  Adam  Geibel  arrangement  for  male  voices,  male  voices  unaccompanied  Criterion  Ouartet 

3029  Joy  to  the  World,  Tune  "Antioch,"  Mixed  Voices,  orch.  ace.  lj»e  Carol  dingers 

3030  The  First  Nowel,   Traditional,  Mixed  Voices,  orch.  ace.  *  *»e  Carol  fingers 

3031  O  Sing  to  God,  Gounod,  Soprano  and  Contralto,  orch.  ace.    Betsy  Lane  Shepherd,  Helen  Clark  and  Oratorio  Chorus 

3032  Ring  Out,  Wild  Bells,  Gounod,  Mixed  Voices,  orch.  ace.  l  ™  Carol  Singers 

3033  In  the  Toymaker's  Workshop— Babes  in  Toyland,   Herbert  American  Symphony  Orchestra 

3034  Santa  Claus  Song,  Yodler,  orch.  ace.  George  P.  Watson 

3035  Christmas  Morning  With  the  Kiddies— Descriptive,    Hager  Peerless  Orchestra 

3036  Christmas  Eve,   (A  Fantasie  on  Old  German  Christmas  Carols),  Transcribed  by  Robert  Gayler 

'  Celesta  Robert  Gayler 

26193  Automobilcouplet,   Maxstadl,  Humoristisches  Duett  mit  Orchesterbegleitung,  in  German 

K  Elise  Kramer  and  Oscar  Stolberg 

26194  Grossstadtluft,    Maxtadt,   Humoristisches  Duett  mit  Orchesterbegleitung,   in   German  Cf  ..      „ 

Elise  Kramer  and  Oscar  Stolberg 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  NOVEMBER,  1916 


IS 


AS  OTHERS  HEAR  US 

Thomas  A.  Edison  has  a  fund  of  stories  relating 
to  his  own  inventions.  One  of  them,  which  has 
just  come  to  light,  relates  to  the  early  days  of  the 
phonograph  when  wax  records  were  used  on  Edison 
instruments  and  when  a  person  who  sang  or  played 
could   make  his  own  records. 

"A  piccolo  player  who  went  into  a  music  store 
was  urged  by  the  proprietor  to  purchase  a  phono- 
graph," runs  the  story.  "As  a  last  resort  the  dealer 
got  the  musician  to  make  a  phonographic  record  of 
'The  Last  Rose  of  Summer'  with  his  own  piccolo. 
The  tune  was  then  played  while  the  musician,  a 
really  wretched  performer  on  the  instrument,  lis- 
tened with  a  strange,  frowning  air.  At  the  end  the 
dealer   said: 

"'There!     Isn't  that  wonderful?' 

"  'Hm — well — yes,'  said  the  piccolo  player. 

"  'And  now,'  said  the  dealer,  briskly,  'are  you 
going  to  buy  the  phonograph?' 

"  'No,'   the   player   answered.     'I'm   going  to   sell 

the  piccolo.'  " 

> 

"Talkers"  have  about  as  much  chance  in  curtain 
tests  with  the  Amberola  as  Methuselah  in  a  baby 
parade. 


USES  PHONOGRAPH  TO  CATCH 
FLEETING  INSPIRATIONS 

Rudolph  Friml,  the  composer  of  the  music  of 
"The  Firefly"  and  "Katinka,"  uses  a  phonograph 
for  recording  and  preserving  the  melodies  he  im- 
provises while  engaged  in  composing.  By  the 
side  of  his  piano  he  keeps  a  recording  phonograph 
and  not  a  note  of  the  music  he  plays  is  lost.  Then, 
when  he  is  weary  of  doing  original  work,  he  has 
melodies  at  hand  to  harmonize  or,  in  an  emergency 
when  he  has  an  immediate  demand  for  some  airs, 
he  can  depend  on  his  records  instead  of  on  uncer- 
tain  and  whimsical  inspiration. 


ANOTHER  WISE  MAN 

A  man  who  lives  in  our  town 

Thought  he  was  wondrous  wise; 
He  jumped  into  a  business 

But  wouldn't  advertise. 
And  when  he  found  his  business  gone, 

He  tried  a  method  sane; 
He  started  in  to  advertise, 

And  got  it  back  again. 

— Music  Trade  Review. 


Jobbers  of  Edison  Amberola  Phonographs 
and  Blue  Amberol  Records 


ALABAMA 
Birmingham — Talking  Machine  Co. 

CALIFORNIA 
Los  Angeles — Diamond    Disc    Distribu- 
ting Co. 
San  Francisco — Pacific  Phonograph  Co. 

COLORADO 
Denver — Denver  Dry  Goods  Co. 
Hext  Music  Co. 

CONNECTICUT 
New  Haven — Pardee-Ellenberger  Co. 

GEORGIA 
Atlanta — Atlanta  Phonograph  Co. 

Phonographs,  Inc. 
Waycross — Youmans  Jewelry  Co. 

ILLINOIS 
Chicago — Babson  Bros. 

James  I.  Lyons. 

The  Phonograph  Co. 
Peoria — Peoria  Phonograph  Co. 
Quincy — Quincy  Phonograph  Co. 

INDIANA 
Indianapolis — Kipp  Phonograph  Co. 

IOWA 
Des  Moines — Harger  &  Blish 
Sioux  City — Harger  &  Blish. 

LOUISIANA 
New  Orleans — Diamond  Music  Co.,  Inc, 

MARYLAND 
Baltimore — E.  F.  Droop  &  Sons  Co. 


MASSACHUSETTS 
Boston — Iver-Johnson  Sporting  Goods  Co. 

Pardee-Ellenberger  Co. 
Lowell — Thomas  Wardell. 

MICHIGAN 
Detroit — Phonograph  Co.  of  Detroit. 

MINNESOTA 
Minneapolis — Laurence  H.  Lucker. 
St.  Paul— W.  J.  Dyer  &  Bro. 

MISSOURI 

Kansas  City — The  Phonograph  Co. 
St.  Louis — Silverstone  Music  Co. 

MONTANA 

Helena — Montana  Phonograph  Co. 

NEBRASKA 
Omaha — Shultz  Bros. 

NEW  JERSEY 
Paterson — James  K.  O'Dea 

NEW  YORK 
Albany — American  Phonograph  Co. 
Buffalo — W.  D.  Andrews. 

Neal,  Clark  &  Neal  Co. 
Elmira — Elmira  Arms  Co. 
N.  Y.  City — I.  Davega,  Jr.,  Inc. 

J.  F.  Blackman  &  Son 
Phonograph  Corp.  of 
Manhattan 
Rochester — Talking  Machine  Co. 
Syracuse — Frank  E.  Bolway  &  Son,  Inc. 
W.  D.  Andrews  Co. 


OHIO 
Cincinnati — The  Phonograph  Co. 
Cleveland — The  Phonograph  Co. 

OREGON 

Portland — Pacific   Phonograph   Co. 

PENNSYLVANIA 
Philadelphia — Girard  Phonograph  Co. 
Pittsburgh — Buehn  Phonograph  Co. 
Scranton — Ackerman  &  Co. 
Williamsport — W.  A.  Myers. 

RHODE  ISLAND 
Providence — J.  A.  Foster  Co. 

TEXAS 
Dallas — Texas-Oklahoma  Phonog.  Co. 
El  Paso — El  Paso  Phonograph  Co.,  Inc. 

UTAH 
Ogden— Proudfit  Sporting  Goods  Co. 
Salt  Lake  City — Consolidated  Music  Co. 

VERMONT 
Burlington — American  Phonograph  Co. 

VIRGINIA 
Richmond — C.  B.  Haynes  &  Co. 

WASHINGTON 
Seattle — Pacific  Phonograph  Co.,  N.  W. 
Spokane — Pacific  Phonograph  Co.,  N.  W. 

WISCONSIN 
Milwaukee— The  Phonograph  Co. 

CANADA 
Calgary — R.   S.   Williams   &   Sons   Co., 

Ltd. 
Montreal — R.  S.  Williams  &  Sons  Co., 

Ltd. 
St.  John— W.  H.  Thome  &  Co.,  Ltd. 
Toronto — R.  S.  Williams  &  Sons  Co.,  Ltd. 
Vancouver — Kent  Piano  Co.,  Ltd. 
Winnipeg — Babson  Bros. 

R.   S.   Williams  &  Sons  Co.,  Ltd. 


ADVERTISING  PAYS  BIGGEST  DURING  HOLIDAY  SEASON 

THERE  is  no  season  of  the  year  when  advertising  is  as  productive  as  during  the 
Christmas  season.  The  Amberola,  as  pointed  out  elsewhere,  makes  an  ideal  Christmas 
gift,  and  bringing  this  fact  to  the  attention  of  the  residents  of  your  vicinity  is  certain 
to  result  in  profitable  business  for  you.  "Do  your  Christmas  advertising  early"  should 
be  your  slogan,  for  many  people  already  are  deciding  what  they  shall  give.  We  recom- 
mend the  copy  below;  try  it  and  you  will  be  gratified  at  the  results.  Electros  should  be 
ordered  by  number  only  from  Thomas  A.  Edison,  Inc.,  Advertising  Department,  Orange, 
N.  J. 


YOU  CAN  HAVE  CHRISTMAS  ALL  THE  YEAR  'ROUND 
IF  SANTA  CLAUS  BRINGS  A 

NEW  EDISON 
DIAMOND    AMBEROLA 

A  New  Edison  Diamond  Amberola  is  the  ideal  Christmas 
gift  because  every  member  of  the  family  can  share  the 
pleasure  it  affords  every  day  in  the  year. 

The  name  Edison  on  a  phonograph  means  a  perfect 
musical  instrument,  not  a  mere  "talking  machine." 

Come  in  at  any  time  and  hear  this  wonderful  instrument. 
{Dealer's  Name  and  Address) 


I     THE    IDEAL    FAMILY    GIFT 


Electro  No.  330 

NEW  EDISON 
DIAMOND     AMBEROLA 

Anyone  can  play  it — everybody  can 
enjoy  it. 

When  you  think  of  Christmas,  think 
of  the  New  Edison  Diamond  Amberola. 

{Dealer's  Name  and  Address) 


m 


Will    You    Have   a 
Merry    Christmas? 

Will  everybody  from  baby  to 
the  old  folks  have  reason  to  be 
happy? 

Yes,  If  Santa  Claus  Brings 

that  most  delightful   and   enter- 
taining of  all  musical  instruments, 

THE  NEW 

EDISON  DIAMOND 
AMBEROLA 

(Dealer's  Name  and  Address) 


wimwiimmmmmimmmimi 


m*  EDISON 

PHONOGRAPH 
MONTHLY 


VOL.   XIV 


DECEMBER,  1916 


NO.  12 


FRANK  FERERA 

Noted  Hawaiian  Guitar  Player 

{See  Page  12) 


ifiiffiiflr/ivibsvir^r/gvraK^ 


Ten  Dollars  ($10)  in  Prizes  Every  Month 
for  Amberola  Dealers 


F 


OR  the  best  articles  written  on  the  subjects  indicated  below  and  sent  to  the  Editor 
of  the  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY  before  January  1st,  1917,  we  shall  award 
prizes  amounting  to  TEN  DOLLARS  (310)  as  follows: 

SUBJECTS  FOR  JANUARY 

35.00  for  the  best  article  on  how  you  sell  New  Diamond  Amberolas.  The  most  original 
method  outlined  will  win  the  prize.  A  photograph  of  your  instrument  or  record 
stock,  or  any  other  interesting  side  of  your  business,  and  accompanying  your  article 
will  help  you  win. 

35.00  for  the  best  "human  interest"  story  on  how  you  sold  an  Amberola  to  a  customer  under 
unusual  or  especially  interesting  circumstances  or  conditions. 

Stories  of  competitive  sales  especially  are  desired. 

CONDITIONS: 

(1)  Any  Amberola  dealer  is  eligible  to  compete. 

(2)  Grammar  or  spelling  will  not  be  considered.     Tell  your  story  in  your  own  language. 

(3)  Write  as  long  or  as  short  as  you  wish. 

(4)  All  contributions  for  January  absolutely  must  be  in  the  hands  of  the  Editor  by  January 

1st. 

That  is  all;  no  strings;  no  red-tape.  Send  your  article  in  today!  Address  all  con- 
tributions to  the  Editor  of  the  Phonograph  Monthly.  The  winners  of  the  January  contest 
will  be  announced  in  the  February  issue. 

New  subjects  will  be  announced  each  month  and  the  contests  will  be  held  each 
month  until  further  notice. 

Win  A  Prize!      You  Can  Do  It. 


The  Edison 
Phonograph  Monthly 


Volume  XIV 


DECEMBER,  1916 


Number  12 


Knockout  At  End  of  Three  Rounds- 
New  Diamond  Amberola  Gets  Decision 

Dealers  Who  Attend  Phonographs  Inc.,  Convention  at  Atlanta,   Witness 

Lively  Sporting  Event — Two  Old  Antagonists  Meet  in 

Three  Round  Fight  to  a  Finish. 


4 'TALKING  MACHINE"  SQUEALS  AS  USUAL 

Emphatic  Victory  of  Diamond  Amberola  Leads  Dealers  to 

Engage   it    to   Fight   Their   Competitive   Battles — 

"Talking  Machine"  Has  no  Chance  of  a 

"Come-Back"  After  Decisive  Mill 

with  Amberola. 

Atlanta,  Ga.,  Nov.  11 — At  the  end  of  three  rounds  of  a  quick  and 
decisive  battle,  fought  before  the  dealers  attending  the  Edison 
Convention  given  here  by  Phonographs,  Inc.,  "Talking  Machine," 
a  has-been  who  cannot  come  back,  was  defeated  by  New  Edison 
"Diamond  Amberola,"  the  present  dominating  figure  in  the  phono- 
graph world.     It  was  a  conclusive  victory  and  emphasizes  forever 


the  unquestioned  superiority  of  the  New  Edison  Diamond  Amberola 
over  talking-machines.  The  antagonists  have  met  before  and  New 
Amberola  repeatedly  has  knocked  his  opponent  out  of  the  ring,  but 
never  before  was  "Talking-Machine"  in  such  good  bodily  condition. 
On  his  gym  shirt  he  wore  a  symbol,  3200,  while  Amberola  fought 
under  the  symbol  of  350. 

Those  familiar  with  the  dope  could  see  nothing  but  The  New 
Edison  Amberola,  yet  some  could  not  understand  how  the  little 
instrument  could  put  the  quietus  on  its  gigantic  opponent.  But 
there  was  never  a  moment  of  doubt  after  the  battle  commenced. 
"Talking  Machine"  commenced  to  squeal  as  soon  as  the  fight  started 
and  it  kept  it  up  until  the  audience  clamored  for  the  fight  to  cease. 
At  the  end  of  the  first  round  Talking-Machine  was  wobbly,  at  the  end 
of  the  second  round  its  wind  seemed  to    be  gone,  and  its  voice 


POOR  OLD  "T.  M."  TAKES  THE  COUNT 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  DECEMBER,  1916 


sounded  unusually  husky,  and  at  the  end  of  the  third  round  it  was 
stone-cold  and  unconscious.  It  was  seriously  injured  and  its  re- 
putation, in  Atlanta  and  vicinity,  is  sadly  and  permanently  im- 
paired. 

Diamond  Amberola  Unanimously  Acclaimed 

la  othei  words,  the  now  famous  blind  curtain  test  between  a 
350.  Diamond  Amberola  and  a  3200  "Talking-Machine"  was 
given.  Three  comparisons  were  made  and  those  present  voted 
unanimously  in  favor  of  the  Diamond  Amberola.  With  odds  of  4 
to  1  the  Amberola  came  out  supreme! 

The  Diamond  Amberola-"Talking  Machine"  comparison  was 
only  one  detail  of  the  convention.  The  gathering  marked  the 
opening  of  the  new  Shop  of  Phonographs,  Inc.  This  is  one  of  the 
finest  Edison  stores  in  the  country  and  it  contains  one  of  the  finest 
Amberola  departments  we  have  ever  seen.  We  wanted  to  get  a 
picture  of  it  but  our  staff  photographer  was  out  trying  to  get  the 
picture  of  "Amberola  Andy"  that  we  show  elsewhere  and  we  could 
not  trust  anybody  else  to  secure  a  view  of  their  Amberola  Depart- 
ment. We  will  present  it  in  a  future  number  of  the  Phonograph 
Monthly,  showing  it  in  actual  operation.  Sales  Manager  K.  R. 
Moses  of  the  Amberola  Department  told  the  dealers  at  the  con- 
vention some  of  the  good  features  of  the  Amberola  and  also  con- 
ducted the  famous  Curtain  Test.  Directly  after  the  curtain  test 
three  Disc-only  dealers  made  application  for  the  Diamond  Amberola. 
That  tells  you  something,  does  it  not? 

Amberola  Booming  in  Richmond 

While  enroute,  Mr.  Moses  stopped  off  to  call  on  C.  B.  Haynes 
&  Co.,  Edison  jobbers  and  dealers  in  Richmond,  Va.  They  were 
enthusiastic  over  the  possibilities  of  the  New  Amberola  Models 
and  reported  a  decided  increase  of  business  in  these  new  models 
and  Blue  Amberol  Records.  The  last  three  record  supplements 
came  in  for  a  strong  endorsement  from  Mr.  Haynes,  who  stated 
that  the  September,  October  and  November  supplements  were 
the  best  sellers  that  ever  had  been  issued  by  the  Edison  Company. 


PRICE  AGREEMENT  ON  PATENTED 
GOODS  SUSTAINED 

WE  are  pleased  to  inform  our  dealers  that  a 
patent  license  system  similar  to  that  under 
which  Edison  Phonographs  and  Records  are  mar- 
keted has  just  been  considered  by  the  United  States 
Circuit  Court  of  Appeals  at  Baltimore  and  has 
been  held  to  be  legal,  the  fixing  of  prices  of  patented 
goods  being  within  the  rights  covered  by  the  grant 
of  Letters  Patent.  The  decision  referred  to  is  en- 
titled L.  E.  Waterman  vs.  Kline,  234  Fed.  Rep.  891 
(advance  sheets). 

From  this  decision  it  appears  that  the  L.  E. 
Waterman  Company,  which  is  engaged  in  the 
manufacture  and  sale  of  the  well  known  Waterman 
"Ideal"  Fountain  Pens,  which  are  covered  by  Let- 
ters Patent,  entered  into  a  license  agreement  with 
one  of  its  dealers,  Leo  P.  Kletzly,  to  furnish  him 
at  wholesale  prices  with  fountain  pens  to  be  sold 
by  him  to  the  public  only  at  full  regular  retail  list 
prices  established  by  the  company.  The  agreement 
provided  also  that  upon  request  the  Waterman  com- 
pany would  take  any  of  the  goods  at  the  prices 
at  which  they  had  been  sold  to  the  dealer  and 
credit  same  on  any  account  due  and  owing  by  him 
to  the  company  or  pay  for  the  same  in  cash  should 
there  be  no  account  due.  Under  this  license  agree- 
ment the  Waterman  Company  furnished  the  dealer 


with  pens  from  time  to  time.  The  dealer  finally 
went  into  bankruptcy  and  the  trustees  requested 
the  Waterman  company  to  take  the  pens  back  at 
cost,  making  payment  therefor  in  cash,  but  the 
Waterman  company  would  take  them  only  on  con- 
dition that  the  price  be  credited  on  its  open  account 
against  the  bankrupt  up  to  the  amount  of  said 
account,  the  balance  to  be  paid  in  cash.  The 
trustee  was  unwilling  to  do  this  and  the  Referee 
in  Bankruptcy  thereupon  ordered  the  trustee  to  sell 
the  patented  goods  in  accordance  with  law,  where- 
upon the  Waterman  company  brought  an  action 
for  an  injunction  to  restrain  the  bankruptcy  trustee 
from  selling  the  fountain  pens  at  less  than  list 
prices.  The  court  held  that  while  the  license  agree- 
ment was  valid,  certain  previous  court  proceedings 
in  the  case  had  resulted  in  the  Waterman  company 
having  allowed  the  goods  to  pass  to  the  trustee 
without  restriction  as  to  his  right  to  use  or  sell 
them,  and  that  the  injunction  therefore  would  not 
be  granted,  the  Waterman  company  having  already 
been  given  an  opportunity  which  they  had  not 
availed  themselves  of  to  repurchase  the  goods  for 
cash.  That  portion  of  the  decision  relative  to  the 
validity  of  the  dealer's  license  agreement  reads  as 
follows: 

"The  appellant  submitted  an  elaborate  brief  as 
to  the  monopoly  rights  of  an  owner  of  patents. 
We  are  in  accord  with  all  the  authorities  cited,  but 
they  are  not  applicable  to  this  case.  In  our  view 
this  case  is  embraced  in  a  very  narrow  compass. 
The  owner  of  a  patent  may  sell  or  authorize  others 
to  sell  the  patented  article  without  limitation  as  to 
price,  time  or  place,  or  he  may  limit  his  licensees 
as  to  price,  time  or  locality.  Any  sale  beyond  the 
terms  of  the  license  is  an  infringement.  The 
assignee  of  a  license  obtains  no  higher  rights  than 
the  assignor  had.  We  have  stated  in  a  few  words 
every  principle  involved  in  the  cases  cited.  They 
are  elementary  and  self-evident." 


Among  the  Amberola  dealers  who  had  special 
Edison  window  displays  during  Edison  Week  were 
W.  A.  Bowen  &  Son,  Kewanee,  111.;  Wilbur  Temp- 
lin  Music  Co.,  Elkhart,  Ind.,  and  the  Charles  E. 
Roat  Music  Co.,  Battle  Creek,  Mich. 


William  W.  Wyper,  representative  of  Thomas  A. 
Edison,  Inc.,  in  Australia  and  New  Zealand,  recently 
arrived  at  Orange,  N.  J.,  where  he  will  spend  a  month 
on  business. 


A  number  of  sound-proof  booths  have  been  in- 
stalled in  the  store  of  William  L.  Nutting,  Amber- 
ola dealer  of  Nashua,  N.  H. 


George  C.  Jewell,  Amberola  dealer  at  Rhineland, 
Wis.,  gave  a  series  of  concerts  at  his  store  in  cele- 
bration of  Edison  Week. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  DECEMBER,  1916 


"Amberola  Andy" 

Tells  About 

<%  i§mtt  nf  mb  (Srubbttta 

(A  (EljrifltmaB  &tnrg) 


CHRISTMAS  hez  changed  a  lot  sence  th'  time 
when  th'  shepherds  saw  the  bright  star  'nd 
follered  it,  carryin'  this  here  frankincense  'nd 
myrrh  ez  gifts. 

Fer  one  thing  th'  price  uv  frankincense  'nd 
myrrh  hez  gone  up  'nd  it  ain't  so  easy  fer  peepul 
t'  git  'nd  give  presents  ez 
it  used  to  be. 

It  ain't  the  season  of 
universal  rejoicin'  thet 
lots  o'  peepul  make  be- 
lieve it  is.  'T  seems  to 
me  thet  the  only  dif'rence 
is  thet  et  Christmas  time 
peepul  who  hev  things  t' 
be  happy  fer  are  happier 
'nd  them  who  hez  things 
t'   be  sad  fer  are   sadder. 

There  wuz  th'  case  of 
old  Grubbins. 

Littleburg  ain't  got  no 
organized  charity  associa- 
tions. I  guess  we  ain't 
up  to  date  enough  fer  thet 
yet.  We  don't  believe  in 
the  scientific  alleviation  o' 
sufferin',  ez  th'  feller  sez. 
We  kerlect  our  own 
funds  'nd  we  don't  pay  no 
salaries  fer  distributin' 
'em.  A  few  little  meet- 
in's  jest  'fore  Christmas, 
'nd  there's  presents  fer 
the  kids  'nd  money  fer 
them  thet  needs  it  t'  help 
'em  over  the  worst  o'  th' 
winter.  We've  alius  held 
the  meetin's  in  my  store, 
'cause  it's  a  reg'lar  town  hall  anyway.  1'our  city 
stores  is  all  O.  K.  in  some  way,  'nd  then  in  some 
ways  they  ain't.  They're  all  right  in  the  daytime 
with  their  big  floors,  wide  aisles,  and  beautiful 
goods.  But  they  ain't  in  it  on  winter  evenin's  when 
us  little  storekeepers  hev  fires  in  'r  big  base  burn- 
ers— fires  so  hot  thet  the  stove  jest  glows  all  over. 
Th'  right  kind  o'  country  store  kin  be  more  then  a 
city    store    kin    ever    be.      A    country    store    hez    a 


Amberola  Andy" 


heart  'nd  a  soul.  Thet  is,  it  hez  if  it  hez  the  right 
kind  o'  perprietor.  I  alius 4iev  lived  in  my  store  'nd 
peepul  are  welcome  here  both  day  'nd  night,  and, 
Lordy,  it  never  made  enny  dif'rence  whether  I 
thought  they  could  buy  er  not.  They're  welcome 
anyhow. 

Well,  the  time  I'm  tell- 
in'  about,  it  wuz  Christ- 
mas eve  'nd  inside  the 
stove  wuz  red  'nd  outside 
the  ground  'nd  everything 
wuz  white.  It  wuz  snow- 
in',  fer  who  could  pre- 
vent snow  from  fallin'  on 
Christmas  eve.  It  hez  t' 
fall  in  great  big  fleecy 
flakes  er  it  ain't  Christ- 
mas eve,  thet's  all.  About 
ten  uv  us  wuz  in  the  store 
packin'  up  the  presents 
thet  we  hed  bought  fer  the 
childern  'nd  thet  Robbie 
MacPherson  wuz  goin'  t' 
take  'round  arter  the  little 
ones  wuz  all  asleep.  Be- 
sides me  and  Robbie, 
there  wuz  Al  Streeter,  Si 
Snedeker,  old  man  Swath- 
more,  'nd  the  parson,  'nd 
some  more  thet  I  jest 
can't  remember.  O  yes, 
there  wuz  old  Henry 
Kimball,  a-settin'  over  in 
one  corner  mumblin'  to 
hisself  and  smilin'  like 
these  old,  old  peepul  do. 
He  wuz  more'n  eighty 
years  old  'nd  wuz  the 
oldest  man  in  Littleburg. 

It  seemed  ez  though  we  wuz  goin'  to  be  short  o' 
money  th'  last  thing  in  spite  uv  all  I  cud  do.  We 
hed  presents  fer  all  the  childern  but  there  wuz 
some  o'  the  poor  old  peepul  who  wuz  goin'  to  miss 
Christmas  onless  somethin'  developed.  I  played 
"Scots  wha  hae  wi'  Wallace  bled"  'nd  got  five  dol- 
lars more  out  'a  Robbie  MacPherson,  which  goes  a 
long  way  toward   showin'  the  power  uv  music,   ef 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  DECEMBER,  1916 


y'  know  Robbie.  'Nd  arter  I  hed  played  "Come 
Back  to  Erin"  Dan  Murphy  sed  he  thought  he  cud 
afford  to  give  ten  dollars  more.  The  rest  uv  us  in 
the  store  wuz  mostly  Yankees  'nd  Yankee  Doodle 
ain't  jest  the  kind  uv  a  song  t'  inspire  a  man  t' 
emotion  'nd  charity.  So  I  put  on  this  "Silent  Night, 
Holy  Night"  number  that  is  so  beautiful  thet  it  jest 
belongs  to  th'  whole  world  'nd  not  to  enny  one 
country.  We  wuz  all  listenin'  quiet  and  still  when 
I  thought  I  heerd  someone  outside  th'  door.  But 
no  one  come  in  'nd  I  thought  thet  I  wuz  mistaken 
arter  all.  But  jest  arter  the  second  verse  started 
the  door  opened  'nd  a  man  in  a  great  fur  coat  and 
hat  and  big  fur  gloves  come  in  out    eh  the  storm. 

It  wuz  old  John  Grubbins.  I  knowed  'im  the 
minute  he  knocked  the  peak  of  his  cap  back  and  I 
seen  his  wrinkled  iron  face,  his  rlashin'  eyes  and 
his   long,  heavy,  bushy  eyebrows. 

Who  wuz  Grubbins? 

Grubbins  the  Tyrant 

Y'd  know  ef  I  told  yuh  his  right  name.  He  wuz 
pres'dent  of  the  B.  &  P.  Railroad.  Y'd  know  thet 
tu  if  thet  wuz  its  right  name.  But  there's  reasons 
fer  not  tellin'  the  real  name  o'  Grubbins  er  the 
real  name  o'  the  railroad.  It  is  ernuf  t'  say  thet  he 
wuz  one  uv  th'  most  merciless  financ'ers  thet  ever 
lived — 'nd  one  uv  the  most  hated.  He  wuz  eh 
tyrant  'nd  oppressor,  'nd  'e  seemed  to  hev  pride  in 
it.  His  sudden  comin'  in  kind'a  startled  us  'cause 
old  John  Grubbins  wuz  ernuf  to  startle  ennybody. 
He  wuz  the  kind  thet  wuz  born  to  make  peepul  step 
around.  I  reckon  thet's  why  he  went  from  water- 
boy  to  the  president's  office  on  th'  B.  &  P.  He  lived 
in  Littleburg  when  'e  wuz  a  boy  'nd  uster  come 
back  once  eh  year,  'nd  thet  wuz  on  Christmas.  'Nd 
he  never  stayed  more'n  a  few  hours  'nd  I  used  tu 
wonder  whut  he  come  back  fer  anyway  'nd  why  he 
kept  a  house  in  Littleburg  when  'e  wuz  here  so 
little.  He  wuz  ez  old  ez  old  Kimball,  but  Lordy! 
you  wouldn't  eh  thought  et  t'  look  et  'im  ez  he 
stood  there  frownin'  and  glarin'  around  the  store. 
'Nd  all  th'  time  the  Amberola  wuz  singing  thet  old 
song,  "Silent  Night,  Holy  Night." 

Then  all  uv  eh  sudden  Grubbins  points  et  it. 

"Shet  thet  thing  off!"  he  snarls.  "Whut  yu  got 
it  playin'  fer  anyhow?  Can't  a  man  go  nowhere 
nowdays  without  bein'  pestered  by  music.  Hev  yu 
alius  got'a  be  hearin'  music,  no  matter  where  yu 
be?" 

"Andy"  Restrains  Himself 

"It's  Christmas  eve  'nd  thet's  Christmas  music, 
Mr.  Grubbins,"  I  reminded  'im.  I  felt  like  tellin' 
'im  thet  if  he  didn't  like  et  he  cud  get  out  but, 
bein'  ez  it  wuz  a  time  when  all  should  be  char- 
itable, I  didn't.     'Nd  arterwards  I  wuz  glad  fer  it. 

"I  know  it's  Christmas  eve  'nd  thet  thet's  Christ- 
mas music,"  he  sez.     "But  I  don't  like  et.     It's  silly, 


'nd  sentimental,  'nd  foolish.  It's  all  right  fer 
women  but  men  shouldn't  like  sich  things." 

"Is  there  anything  yu  want  tu  get,  Mr.  Grub- 
bins?" I  asked  'im. 

"No,"  he  sez.  "I  jest  heerd  the — I  jest  come  in, 
I  mean,  tu  look  'round  'nd  see  who  wuz  here.  Ef 
I  ain't  welcome  'nd  ef  yu  want  me  tu  get  out,  I'll 
go,  though,"  he  sez,  'nd  'is  eyes  shined  just  ez 
though  there  wuz  tears  in  'em. 

"No!  no!"  sez  I.  "Draw  a  chair  up  tu  the  fire  'nd 
sit  down.  Ef  there's  somethin'  about  th'  music  you 
don't  like  we  won't  play  et." 

"O,  I  don't  mind  et,"  he  sez.  "I  wuz  jest  thinkin' 
uv  somethin'  when  I  went  past  'nd  heerd  thet — 
when  I  come  in,  I  mean — 'nd  the  music  sort'a 
bothered  me.  Thet  wuz  a  pretty  song  yu  wuz 
playin.'     I  wonder  would  yu  play  et  ag'in." 

Ag'in  the  strains  of  that  wonderful  old  Christmas 
hymn  went  softly  through  the  room.  'Nd  old  Grub- 
bins kind'a  pulled  the  peak  uv  'is  cap  way  down 
over  'is  eyes  'nd  set  there  with  his  head  slouched 
way  down  in  'is  big  fur  collar.  He  set  thet  way 
fer  a  spell  arter  the  song  wuz  ended  but  fine'ly 
straightened  up  and  glared  fiercely  'round  ag'in. 
Then  he  saw  the  pile  o'  presents  thet  wuz  layin'  on 
the  counter,  all  done  up  in  tissher  paper  with 
sprigs  o'  holly  showin'  here  'nd  there. 

"Whut's  all  thet  stuff  over  there,"  he  sez,  p'intin' 
to  'em. 

"O,  we  jest  sort'a  got  together  'nd  got  a  few 
gifts  fer  them  as  is  poor  hereabouts,"  I  explained. 
"We've  been  doin'  'em  up  t'night  to  take  around 
arter  the  childern  is  sleepin'." 

"Who's  poor  around  here?"  he  asks  gruffly. 

Grubbins  Loosens  Up 

'Nd  I  tells  'im  'bout  the  little  childern  who 
wouldn't  have  a  Christmas  ef  it  warn't  fer  us  'nd 
'bout  unfortunate  older  peepul  who  wuz  findin' 
life  a  hard  struggle  'nd  t'  who  a  little  Christmas 
cheer  would  give  new  hearts  'nd  new  spirits.  'Nd 
all  the  while  he  just  kind'a  smiled  ez  though  he 
wuz  glad  tu  hear  about  their  sufferin's  'nd  troubles. 
I  tell  yu,  thet  look  he  hed  on  his  face  made  me  mad 
clear  through.  But  I  guess  'is  face  warn't  reflectin' 
whut  wuz  in  'is  heart  'cause  when  I  got  through 
talkin'  he  stood  up  'nd  seemed  to  be  thinkin'  fer  a 
minute. 

Then  he  sez: 

"How  much  more  money  do  yu  need  fer  tu  give 
everybody  eh  merry  Christmas?" 

I  figured  up. 

"Thirty-two  dollars  'nd  sixty-four  cents  '11  jest 
'bout  du  it,"  sez  I. 

"You're  sure  yu  need  all  'a  that?"  he  asks. 

"If  yu  can't  trust  us  yu  don't  need  to  give,"  says 
I,  in  some  temper. 

(Continued  on  page  g) 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  DECEMBER,  1916 


What  shall  I  give  this  Christmas  9 

>  NEW  EDISON 

DIAMOND  AMBEROIA  ofcourse\ 


tfBBBZt+jr»Yt«hu  Vl1  rv^^m?7m^       a  MASTER  MUSICAL  INSTRUMENT 


The  New  Edison  Diamond  Amberola 
will  brighten  your  home  365  days  in 
the  year.  It  will  be  your  most  treasured 
possession.  As  a  gift  it  will  delight 
your  friends  for  years.  Real  music  in 
your  home  is  vitally  necessary. 
Why  not  a  New  Diamond  Amberola 
for  Christmas? 


OBEY  THAT  IMPULSE! 

Come  in  and  spend  the  next,  half  hour  with  us  and  let  us  tell 

you  all  about  this  wonderful  product  of  Mr.  Edison's  genius 

PRICES  TO  SUIT  EVERYONE 


If  everybody  in  the  world  was  too  busy  fighting,  making  munitions, 
or  settling  election  bets,  to  remember  that  Christmas  is  coming,  they  would 
be  very  forcibly  and  effectively  reminded  of  the  advent  of  the  holiday 
by  this  striking  New  Diamond  Amberola  hanger.  It  is  twenty-two  by 
twenty-eight  inches  in  size,  printed  in  real  Christmassy  red  and  green, 
and  is  as  pretty  and  seasonable  as  a  Christmas  tree  in  full  bloom.  Hang 
it  in  vour  window  and  it  will  attract  no  end  of  attention. 


Musical  Merriment 


EVERY  LITTLE  MOVEMENT. 

"Dad,"  said  the  8-year-old  of  the  family,  "here's 
a  book  that  says  that  Orpheus  was  such  a  fine 
musician  that  he  made  trees  and  stones  move." 

"Son,"  said  father,  solemnly,  "your  sister  Bess  has 
Orpheus  beaten.  Her  piano-playing  has  made 
twenty  families  move  out  of  this  building  in  the 
last  three  months." — Musical  America. 


ALSO  LIABLE. 

Jim — I  see  by  the  papers  that  a  man  has  just 
been  arrested  for  a  crime  committed  in  1870. 

Sim — That  kind  of  news  makes  me  nervous. 
When  I  was  a  little  boy  I  played  the  cornet. — 
Music  Trades. 


SOLID  APPRECIATION. 

American  Singer  (in  Ireland,  to  another  singer) 
— The  first  time  I  sang  in  public  the  audience 
showered  me  with  bouquets,  enough  to  start  a 
flower-shop. 

Irish  Singer — I  beat  ye !  The  first  time  I  sang 
was  at  an  open-air  concert,  and,  begorra,  the  audi- 
ence were  so  delighted  they  presented  me  with  a 
house. 

American  Singer — A  house !  You  must  be  off 
your  head ! 

Irish  Singer — Not  at  all.  I  tell  yer  they  gave 
me  a  house — but  it  was  a  brick  at  a  time ! 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  DECEMBER,  1916 


Edison   Phonograph   Monthly 


Published  in  the  interests  of 

THE  NEW  EDISON  DIAMOND  AMBEROLA 

AND 

BLUE  AMBEROL  RECORDS 

By  Thomas  A.  Edison,  Inc. 

ORANGE,  N.  J.,  U.  S.  A. 


Editorial 

Eight  of  the  greatest  song 
Some  List  nits  from  tne  reigning  light 
opera  successes  of  Broadway 
in  one  supplement! 

With  an  intimate  knowledge  of  record  produc- 
tion in  the  past,  we  believe  that  the  January  Blue 
Amberol  list  excels,  or  at  least  equals,  in  the  time- 
liness of  selections,  any  Blue  Amberol  supplement 
we  have  yet  issued. 

People  are  standing  in  line  in  New  York  to 
secure  seats  for  "Little  Miss  Springtime,"  "The 
Girl  from  Brazil,"  "Flora  Bella,"  "The  Big  Show" 
(New  York  Hippodrome),  and  "Canary  Cottage." 
You  can  give  your  customers  the  best  numbers 
from  all  these  productions  and  if  you  push  them 
as  they  should  be  pushed  you'll  have  customers 
standing  in  line  in  your  store. 

Isn't  this  January  list,  with  its  sparkling  light 
opera  gems,  its  up-to-the-minute  popular  song  hits, 
its  superb  instrumental  numbers,  and  its  many 
other  unusually  attractive  selections,  just  about  as 
fine  a   record  supplement  as  you  ever  saw? 

We  hope  to  make  all  of  the  1917  Blue  Amberol 
supplements  just  as  good  or  better  than  the  one 
that  will  start  the  new  year  off  with  such  a  corking 
list  of  selections.  Better  hurry  and  get  into  the 
"every  record,  every  month"  class. 


We  want  you  to  keep  in  touch  with 
"Andy"      our  new  friend,  "Amberola  Andy," 

because  we  believe  that  he  will 
entertain  you  and,  at  the  same  time,  illustrate  some 
of  the  possibilities  that  small  towns  offer  for  Am- 
berola merchandising  and  the  enjoyment  of  life. 
Small  town  dealers  are  inclined  rather  to  look  with 
envy  on  dealers  who  have  metropolitan  establish- 
ments and  who  have  territorial  opportunities  that 
the  rural  or  suburban  dealer  is  denied.  They  are 
inclined  to  forget  that  profit  keeps  a  fairly  definite 
ratio  to  expense  and  worry,  through  all  gradations 
of  business  activity.  The  big  dealer  with  his  big 
establishment  has  heavy  expenses  to  eat  into  the 
profits  of  his  larger  volume  of  sales.  And  his  busi- 
ness occupies  every  moment  of  his  time  and  often 
he  has  but  little  leisure  to  enjoy  life. 

On   the  other  hand,   the   small   town   dealer  who 
sells   comparatively   few   instruments    is   under   but 


little  expense  and  has  the  leisure  time  and  the 
peace  of  mind  that  are  essential  to  contentment  and 
the  true  joy  of  living.  And,  when  he  takes  an 
active  interest  in  his  business,  as  "Amberola  Andy" 
does,  he  can  attain  a  higher  degree  in  the  art  of 
merchandising  than  the  large  dealer.  This  arises 
from  the  fact  that  he  has  ample  time  to  study  the 
possibilities  of  his  territory  and  the  characteristics 
of  his  individual  prospects.  "Amberola  Andy"  is 
going  to  prove  this ;  he  is  going  to  show  you  some 
of  the  delights  of  living  and  dealing  in  "Little- 
burg." 

We  feel  sure  that  you  will  like  whimsical  and 
philosophical  "Andy,"  and  that  you  will  profit  by 
his  "Littleburg"  experiences.  We  urge  you  to  gef 
thoroughly  acquainted  with  him. 


The    announcement,    made    in    an- 
Prizes         other   part   of   this   issue,   that   the 

Phonograph  Monthly  will  offer 
prizes  each  month  for  the  best  contributions  from 
dealers  is  certain  to  bring  in  many  valuable  articles 
relating  to  the  retailing  of  the  New  Edison  Dia- 
mond Amberola.  Prize  winning  articles  and  any 
others  that  are  considered  worthy  of  reproduction 
will  appear  in  the  Phonograph  Monthly  from 
time  to  time  and  will  become  a  new  source  of  inspi- 
ration to  all  Phonograph  Monthly  readers. 

Our  expectations  will  not  be  fully  realized  unless 
YOU  enter  into  the  competition  and  submit  one  or 
more  contributions  each  month.  If  YOU  send  in  a 
contribution  we  shall  have  an  abundance  of  good 
material  and  the  new  scheme  will  be  a  complete 
success.  That's  just  the  reason  why  it  is  so  essen- 
tial that  YOU  compete.  And  there  is  no  reason  in 
the  world  why  YOU  cannot  win  one  or  more  of  the 
prizes.  Don't  let  the  other  fellow  take  the  prize 
away  from  you. 

The  conditions  governing  the  contests  are  such 
that  YOU  have  an  equal  opportunity  with  all  other 
dealers.  We  do  not  insist  on  faultless  grammar, 
correct  spelling,  copperplate  writing,  or  any  of  the 
other  factors  that  usually  enter  into  the  judging  of 
such  contributions.  Various  descriptions  of  the 
methods  YOU  use  in  conducting  your  business  and 
little  articles  bearing  on  your  experiences  as  a 
dealer  are  what  we  are  after.  If  you  think  you 
can't  write  well  enough,  just  give  us  the  bare  facts 
and  we'll  take  care  of  the  grammar,  spelling,  etc. 


Relations  between  men 
Merry  Christmas  engaged  in  business 
necessarily  must  be 
restrained  during  the  greater  part  of  the  year,  for 
business  engenders  artificiality  and  makes  it  impos- 
sible for  men  to  bear  toward  each  other  the  feeling 
of  intimacy  that  may  exist  between  persons  who 
have  no  common  commercial  interests. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  DECEMBER,  1916 


There  are  seasons  of  the  year,  however,  when  it 
is  well  that  men  should  forget  their  business  rela- 
tions for  a  brief  period  of  time  and  think  of  each 
other  in  terms  other  than  dollars  and  cents. 
Christmas,  with  its  rich  traditions  of  charity  and 
good  will,  is  one  of  these  seasons.  Therefore,  it  is 
without  reference  to  business,  or  without  any 
thought  of  it,  that  we  wish  you  and  those  who  are 
near  and  dear  to  you,  a  most  merry  Christmas. 
With  this  wish,  we  take  the  opportunity  to  express 
our  belief  that,  during  the  year  that  has  passed 
since  last  Christmas,  you  have  done  everything 
possible,  as  you  have  seen  it,  to  advance  the  inter- 
ests of  the  Amberola  line.  We,  in  our  turn,  have 
done  our  best  for  you  and  our  mutual  efforts  have 
been  productive  of  some  great  developments,  as  you 
know. 

In  wishing  you  a  happy  and  prosperous  New 
Year,  we  cannot  forego  calling  attention  to  the  fact 
that  the  attainment  of  prosperity  rests  with  you,  and 
is  within  your  power.  The  man  who  cultivates 
an  interest  in  life  is  the  happy  man;  the  man  who 
makes  this  interest  his  business  is  both  happy  and 
prosperous.  The  past  year  has  been  a  very  suc- 
cessful one  for  many  Amberola  dealers.  Has  it 
been  profitable  and  enjoyable  for  you?  If  not, 
make  the  utmost  of  that  which  remains  of  it  and, 
after  your  merry  Christmas,  enter  into  1917  with 
the  resolve  to  make  it  all  that  either  we  or  you 
could  wish  it  to  be. 


CHRISTMAS  BLUE  AMBEROL 
RECORD  BULLETIN 

DID  you  ever  see  a  more  artistic  and  attractive 
hanger  than  the  Blue  Amberol  Record  Bul- 
letin for  Christmas  just  mailed  you? 

No !     We  thought  not. 

It  was  designed  to  go  into  your  window  where 
everybody  in  town  will  see  it.  It's  going  to  make 
those  who  own  instruments  come  in  and  buy  records 
and  it  is  going  to  make  those  who  haven't  got  New 
Diamond  Amberolas  in  their  homes  wish  that  they 
did  have  them. 

Put  this  Bulletin  where  it  will  hail  everyone  who 
goes  by  and  stop  them,  and  suggest  to  them  the  en- 
joyment that  the  New  Diamond  Amberola  and 
Blue   Amberol    records    afford. 

It  has  the  holiday  spirit  and  it  will  remind  those 
who  see  it  that  this  is  the  Christmas  season  and 
that  the  New  Diamond  Amberola  and  Blue  Am- 
berol records  make  mighty  good  Christmas  gifts. 

The  broad,  black  line  near  the  bottom  of  the 
December  Blue  Amberol  record  Bulletin  is  a  sign 
of  mourning  for  a  lost  record. 

A  defect  in  record  No.  3035,  which  was  not  dis- 
covered until  after  the  Bulletin  had  been  printed, 
made  necessary  the  removal  of  this  number  from 
the  list.  In  order  to  save  the  time  that  the  reprint- 
ing of  the  Bulletins  would  have  required,  the  nura- 
and  the  name  of  the  defective  record  were  simply 
blocked   out. 


"AMBEROLA  ANDY" 

Tells  About 

The   Heart   of  Old   Grubbins 


{Continued  from  Page  6) 


But  he  pulls  out  eh  big  wallet  and  takes  some 
funny  lookin'  bills  out'a  it. 

"Here's  eh  thousand  dollars,"  he  sez;  "use  et  th' 
best  way  yu  kin !" 

'Nd  I  thought  I  saw  a  soft  smile  on  'is  face. 
But  I  couldn't  tell  'cause  he  changed  so  quick  'nd 
wuz  scowlin'  around  fiercer  than  ever. 

"I  don't  know  why  /  should  do  this,  though,"  he 
sez.  "I  don't  know  why  /  should  make  other  peo- 
ple happy.  They're  ain't  no  childern  runnin'  'round 
arter  me.  They're  ain't  nobody  worryin'  much 
whether  er  not  I  hev  a  merry  Christmas." 

'Nd  he  stopped  to  clear  out  'is  throat  'cause  his 
voice  seemed  to  be  husky. 

Then  he  pointed  his  finger  at  us. 

"Remember!"  he  hollered,  "it  ain't  'cause  I  got  a 
kind  heart  thet  I'm  givin'  this  money.  It's  jest 
'cause  I  took  a  fancy  to  do  it,  'nd  things  I  take  a 
fancy  to  do,  I  do.  Don't  think  there's  nothin'  soft 
ner  easy  'bout  me,"  he  sez,  sharply.  "I  ain't  th' 
kind'a  fool  thet  hez  emotions." 


It  struck  us  all  stiff,  but  I  stood  .up  ready  to 
make  a  little  speech  of  thanks.  But  he  jest  glared 
at  me  'nd  waved  'is  hand  et  me  tu  be  still. 

"Jest  play  thet  Christmas  piece  ag'in  afore  I 
goes,"  he  sez.  'Nd  I  put  on  "Silent  Night,  Holy 
Night"  'nd  when  thet  soprano  voice  of  Marie 
Rappold  rings  out  so  clear  'nd  sweet  I  see  Grub- 
bins'  eyes  get  kind'a  moist.  Then  he  looks  at  us 
angry  like  and  turns  around  'nd  goes  'nd  looks 
out'a  the  window  so's  we  can't  see  'im. 

Old  Kimball  Discovered 

Jest  ez  the  piece  wuz  endin'  old  Kimball  starts 
to  tap  'is  cane  on  the  floor.  This  made  Grubbins 
turn  'round  and  look  at  old  Kimball  fit  to  kill 
'im.  After  the  piece  wuz  ended  he  went  over  'nd 
looked  right  sharp  at  the  mumblin',  smilin'  old 
dodderer.  I  don't  believe  thet  he'd  seen  'im  afore; 
but  I  knew  thet  he  remembered  'im.  Then  he 
tramped  back  inter  the  middle  uv  the  store  'nd 
stood  where  he  could  see   every  one  uv  us. 

"Men,"  he  sez,  "I've  been  a  d — n  fool  t'night  'nd 
all  I  ask  uv  you  is  thet  yu  never  tell  'bout  et. 
When  I  wuz  young  th'  world  gim'me  h — 1  right  in 
this  town  'nd  arter  too  much  uv  it  I  decided  tu 
start  'nd  give  the  world  h — 1.  'Nd  I  give  et  h — 1; 
I'm  givin'  et  h — 1,  'nd  I'm  goin'  to  keep  on  givin' 
et  h — 1.     Old   Kimball,   thet  knew   me  more'n   fifty 


10 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  DECEMBER,  1916 


years  ago,  knows  why,  'nd  I  guess  'e's  'bout  th'  only 
one  livin'  thet  does." 

The  Passing  of  Old  Kimball 

He  goes  over  to  Kimball. 

"Henry!"  he  shouts.  But  old  Kimball  jest  mum- 
bles  'nd    smiles,    never    reco'nizin'    Grubbins    a'tall. 

"He's  gone  now,"  sez  Grubbins.  "Everybody's 
gone  but  Grubbins." 

'Nd  pullin'  his  cap  down  lower,  he  puts  a  hand 
on  the  door  latch.  Then  'e  goes  out,  stampin'  'is 
feet  'nd  bangin'  the  door  arter  'im. 

Arter  we  got  over  th'  shock  'nd  hed  decided  jest 
how  the  money  hed  best  be  divided,  I  hed  an  idea. 
Sometimes  y'  cud  start  old  Kimball  jest  like  y'  kin 
start  a  old  eight-day  clock.  Hittin'  'im  all  uv  eh 
sudden  in  the  right  place  with  th'  right  word  wud 
set  'im  goin'  fer  some  'time.  So  I  went  over  to 
'im   'nd   got   my   lips  close   to   'is   ear   'nd    shouted: 

"Grubbins !" 

"Grubbins?"  he  came  back,  kind'a  puzzled. 
"Grubbins?" 

Then  he  begin  to  titter  'nd  I  knowd  'is  recollec- 
tions wuz  comin'  back. 

"Grubbins,"  he  sez,  with  a  chuckle.  "  'E  took 
'er  away  from  me  but,  O,  sich  a  joke  it  wuz.  A 
month  arter  he  married  'er,  she  died.  Everything 
went  agin'  'im  arter  'e  took  'er  away  from  me." 
'Nd  he  cackled  away  in  'is  waverin'  voice,  'nd  the 
tappin'  uv  his  stick  on  th'  floor  kep'  time  with  his 
chuckles. 

Robbie  MacPherson  wuz  over  in  th'  corner  'nd  I 
saw  'e  wuz  windin'  the  Amberola  fer  a  last  piece 
afore  we  broke   up. 

Then  old  Kimball  looked  around  serious. 

"How  she  uster  sing!"  he  said.  "How  she  uster 
sing!" 

Jest  then  the  strains  o'  "Silent  Night,  Holy 
Night"  came  from  the  Amberola. 

"Listen!"  whispered  old  Kimball.  "Listen! 
Thet's   her   singin'   now.     I   heerd   'er   sing  thet   on 

Christmas  eve — on  the  night — Grubbins married 

'er." 

Then  a  mysterious  'nd  puzzled  look  come  over 
his   face. 

"But  how  kin  she  be  singin',"  he  sez,  "when 
she's  been  sleepin'  up  in  the  cemet'ry  these  sixty 
years  gone  by." 

Then,  suddenly,  'is  vacant  smile  come  back  ag'in 
'nd  he  mumbled  'nd  nodded  'is  head  but  didn't 
talk  no  more. 

All  Littleburg  Made  Happy 

Well,  thet  Christmas  wuz  the  merriest  thet 
Littleburg  hed  ever  hed,  There  warn't  eh  home 
where  there  warn't  happy  people  'nd  thet's  a 
blessed  way  fer  eh  town  to  be.  'Nd  a  thousand 
dollars  did  it.  Ain't  it  funny  how  much  happiness 
a  thousand  dollars  will  buy — ef  it's  properly  spent. 


I  never  saw  old  Grubbins  alive  ag'in  arter 
thet  but  I  learned  more  uv  'im  th'  next  day  when 
I  tuk  sort'a  a  lonesome  stroll  up  t'  little  Ever- 
green Cemet'ry.  There  I  found  whut  I'd  expected 
tu  find.  A  trail  leadin'  through  the  drifted  snow 
up  to  eh  little  plot  away  in  one  corner.  'Nd  there 
th'  snow  wuz  trampled  'nd  beaten  down  'nd  there 
were  marks  thet  showed  me  thet  a  man  hed  been 
kneelin'  at  the  foot  uv  a  grave  thet  wuz  buried 
deep  under  the  white  snow.  So  I  knowd  et  last 
whut  hed  brought  old  Grubbins  back  to  Littleburg 
on   Christmas   eve  fer   so  many  weary  years. 

It  may  kind'a  spoil  this  story  fer  some  tu  say 
thet  Grubbins  wuz  not  reformed  by  the  good  deed 
thet  he  hed  done  in  Littleburg,  but  'e  wasn't.  Up 
to  th'  very  day  he  died  a  few  months  later,  he  kep' 
on   givin'   the   world   h — 1. 

His  will  said  'e  wuz  to  be  buried  in  Littleburg, 
though  I  only  found  this  out  by  accident  'cause  'e 
didn't  want  et  known  thet  'e  wanted  to  be  buried 
in  Littleburg. 

'Nd  it's  not  supposed  to  come  out  thet  'e  left 
a  trust  fund  t'  give  Littleburg  a  merry  Christmas 
every  year.  But  'e  did,  'nd  seein'  y'  don't  know 
'is  name,  there  ain't  no  harm  in  tellin'  it.  'Nd 
old  Andy's  t'  hev  the  handlin'  o'  th'  money  every 
year.  What  d'  y'  think  o'  thet?  Th'  name  o'  old 
Andy  mentioned  right  in  th'  will  uv  a  millionaire. 

Charity  for  All 

It's  too  bad  these  things  can't  be  known.  It's  too 
bad  'e  wanted  t'  be  thought  eh  man  without  eh 
heart. 

'Cause  on  Memorial  Days,  when  we  dec'rate  all 
the  graves  in  the  little  cemet'ry,  never  skippin' 
one,  there  alius  is  someone  who  says: 

"Don't  put  enny  flowers  on  thet  old  Grubbins' 
grave.     He  never  did  no  good  t'  nobody." 

And  I  alius  says  thet  we  never  kin  tell  the 
whys  'nd  the  wherefers  uv  the  way  peepul  lives 
'nd  the  deeds  they  do  'nd,  bein'  thet  these  things 
are  beyont  'r  understanding  we  shud  be  charitable 
'nd  fergivin'  t'  all. 


I  suppose  some  o'  yu  feller  dealers  are  goin' 
t'  say  thet  yu  don't  see  where  all  o'  this  sells  enny 
Amberolas   fer   me. 

Well — mebbe  not,  mebbe  not. 

But  I  alius  figure  thet  I  want  t'  be  more'n  eh 
mere  storekeeper  thet's  jest  tryin'  t'  get  profit  fer 
'isself  from  everyone  'round  'im.  I  want'a  live 
with  peepul  'nd  be  happy  with  'em  when  they're 
happy  'nd  suffer  with  'em  when  they  suffer.  I 
want'a  be  eh  man  'nd  a  neighbor  fust  'nd  a 
dealer  next,  'nd  ef  I  can't  be  prosp'r'us  thet  way, 
I    don't   want'a   be   prosp'r'us   a'tall. 

Thet's  all  I've  got  t'  say  this  time,  'cept  a  merry 
Christmas  t'   all. 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  DECEMBER,  1916 


11 


Keeping  in  Touch  with  Edison  Artists 


"There  is  a  little  lady,  to  whom  I  believe  I  have 
referred  once  before,  who,  starting  with  a  good 
voice,  what  is  called  'temperament'  and  an  in- 
domitable will,  determined  to  get  to  the  front," 
says  Mephisto  in  Musical  America. 

"Lacking  at  the  time  the  necessary  means,  she 
became  her  own  manager.  Whenever  she  had  any 
money  she  spent  it  on  publicity,  and  so  she  became 
an  assured  success,  a  recognized  leading  feature 
of  our  concert  stage.  Now,  of  course,  she  is  sought 
by  managers  who  are  glad  to  handle  her  business. 

"This  little  lady,  whose  name  is  Christine  Mil- 
ler, gave  a  recital  the  other  day,  in  the  course  of 
which  she  presented  a  number  of  songs  by  Ameri- 
can composers  and  scored  a  most  emphatic  success. 
She  presented  these  works,  not  because  they  were 
by  Americans,  but  because  of  their  intrinsic  merit, 
which  was  recognized  by  most  of  her  critics  in 
their  reviews  of  the  performance." 

All  of  which,  coming  from  the  source  that  it 
does,  is  a  decided  tribute  to  the  voice  and  person- 
ality of  Miss  Miller  and  also  to  her  laudable 
patriotism  in  programing  numbers  by  American 
composers. 


About  a  year  ago  at  the  Opera  Dance  Club  in 
Chicago  Anna  Case  lost  a  diamond  pin  of  an 
intrinsic  value  of  $1,200.  Its  sentimental  value 
exceeded  that  because  it  had  been  given  her  by  her 
admirers  at  the  Metropolitan  Opera  House  in  New 
York.  Recently  Hiram  Foster,  the  Chicago  man- 
ager of  the  Club,  pulled  down  an  old  velour 
drapery  and  exposed  the  missing  pin,  which,  in 
some  fashion,  had  been  lost  in  one  of  the  folds  of 
the  hanging.  The  pin  was  immediately  sent  to 
Miss  Case,  who  was  overjoyed  to  receive  it  after 
having  given  up  all  hope  of  ever  finding  it  again. 


Yvonne  de  Treville  is  one  of  those  rare  and  for- 
tunate persons  who  have  what  might  be  termed 
an  "embarrassment  of  artistic  talents."  At  the 
outset  of  her  career  she  took  up  the  study  of  paint- 
ing and  became  an  artist  of  unusual  ability.  Be- 
lieving, however,  that  her  voice  afforded  her  even 
greater  opportunities  than  her  talent  for  painting, 
she  commenced  the  study  of  singing  and  aban- 
doned her  other  artistic  endeavors.  Her  early 
training  in  art,  however,  stands  her  in  good  stead 
in  the  costume  recitals  in  which  she  is  so  suc- 
cessful. In  her  gowns  and  poses  there  always 
is  apparent  that  delightful  harmony  of  line  and 
color  that  only  a  true  and  educated  artist  could 
secure. 


Albert  Spalding,  who  gave  his  first  New  York 
recital  of  the  present  season  in  Aeolian  Hall  on 
October  28,  is  an  enthusiastic  advocate  of  the 
use  of  the  folk-song  in  the  recitalist's  repertoire, 
and  he  declares  that  America  has  a  wealth  of 
such  songs  that  are  as  fine  as  any  that  can  be 
found.  He  believes  that  folk-songs  should  be 
judged  by  their  merit  when  unsupported  by  an 
accompaniment.  "A  tune  whose  outline  is  not 
strong  enough  to  stand  without  props  has  no  right 
to  be  counted  as  a  folk-song,"  is  his  dictum. 


The  Ellis  Grand  Opera  Company,  with  which 
Marie  Rappold  recently  has  been  touring,  appeared 
in  St.  Paul  late  in  October.  According  to  the 
Musical  Monitor  the  audiences  that  were  present 
at  performances  of  "Carmen"  and  "II  Trovatore," 
given  by  the  company,  were  the  largest  and  most 
brilliant  ever  present  at  a  musical  event  in  Min- 
nesota. People  came  from  as  far  as  300  miles 
away  to  attend  the  performances  and  the  advance 
sale  of  tickets  was  unprecedented.  Mme.  Rappold 
sang  Leonora,  her  favorite  role,  in  the  perform- 
ance of  "II  Trovatore." 


Last  season  Marie  Kaiser  made  over  100  appear- 
ances in  sixty-eight  American  cities  and  fifteen 
states  and  this  year  all  indications  seem  to  show 
that  she  will  excel  her  last  year's  record.  She 
commenced  this  season's  work  early  in  August  and 
her  only  respite  until  Spring  will  be  a  few  days 
around  the  holidays.  Her  numerous  bookings  are 
a  high  tribute  to  her  ability  and  popularity  as  an 
artist  of  the  first  rank. 


Merle  Alcock,  the  contralto,  with  her  husband, 
Bechtel  Alcock,  the  tenor,  gave  a  most  successful 
recital  recently  in  the  Gr^nd  Avenue  Temple, 
Kansas  City. 


Julia  Heinrich,  whose  brilliant  success  in 
various  roles  was  one  of  the  features  of  the  last 
season  of  the  Metropolitan  Opera  Company,  will 
not  return  to  secure  further  triumphs  on  the 
operatic  stage.  The  death  of  her  noted  father,  the 
late  Max  Heinrich,  and  her  desire  to  enter  the 
broader  field  of  concert  singing,  combined  to  cause 
her  to  abandon  opera.  The  decision  of  the  "find 
of  the  1915-16  Metropolitan  season"  has  aroused 
much  regret  among  the  patrons  of  the  Metropoli- 
tan Opera  House,  all  of  whom  have  looked  for- 
ward with  anticipation  to  hearing  her  during  the 
present  season.  Among  her  concert  engagements 
are  appearances  in  Boston,  Cleveland  and  Phila- 
delphia. 


12 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  DECEMBER,  1916 


Who's  Who  in  the  Blue  Amberol  List 

for  January 


FRANK  FERERA 

Frank  Ferera,  the  Blue  Amberol  artist  whose 
portrait  appears  on  the  front  cover  of  this  issue,  has 
the  distinction  of  being  the  one  who  first  introduced 
the  Hawaiian  style  of  playing  the  guitar  into  the 
United  States.  It  was  in  1900  that  he  brought  the 
first  ukelele  here  and  commenced  to  charm  vaude- 
ville audiences  with  the  weird  and  plaintive  effects 
he  produced.  For  quite  a  while  he  had  the  field 
to  himself,  but  the  fascination  of  the  Hawaiian 
music  met  with  widespread  demand,  and  other 
players  who  came  from  Hawaii,  or  Americans  who 
were  taught  by  Mr.  Ferera,  commenced  to  tour  the 
country.  In  a  few  years  people  were  generally 
familiar  with  the  music  of  the  Hawaiian  guitar, 
but  it  was  not  until  about  five  years  ago  that  the 
fever  for  Hawaiian  music  started.  It  scarcely  can 
be  called  a  fad,  because  this  characteristic  music 
has  made  such  an  impression  by  its  distinctiveness 
and  intrinsic  beauty  that  there  always  should  be  a 
demand  for  it. 

Mr.  Ferera,  the  one  who  is  primarily  respon- 
sible for  all  the  pleasure  that  the  people  of  the 
United  States  have  derived  from  the  ukelele,  was 
born  in  Honolulu.  It  is  said  that  the  Hawaiian 
style  of  playing  the  guitar  was  originated  by  a 
Portuguese  sailor.  Perhaps  this  has  something  to 
do  with  the  tendency  that  Mr.  Ferera  had  toward 
the  ukelele,  for  .he,  although  of  Hawaiian  birth,  is 
of  Portuguese  descent.  He  was  musical  even  in  his 
childhood.  The  first  musical  instrument  that  came 
into  his  hands  was  a  guitar.  He  soon  became 
highly  proficient  with  this  instrument — so  pro- 
ficient that  he  decided  to  come  to  the  United 
States,  where  he  believed  that  he  could  popularize 
the  Hawaiian  guitar.  How  well  he  succeeded, 
after  a  few  years  of  effort,  everybody  in  touch 
with  the  world  of  music  realizes. 


P.  FROSINI 
To  Americans,  who  generally  are 
unfamiliar  with  the  possibilities 
of  the  accordion,  it  may  seem 
strange  that  instruction  in  the 
art  of  playing  such  an  instru- 
ment should  be  given  in  such  a 
world-renowned  institution  as  the 
Conservatory  of  Milan.  This  is 
one  of  the  most  famous  of  all 
schools  of  music  and  it  has  produced  some  of  the 
world's  greatest  musical  artists,  yet  it  was  in 
this  institution  that  P.  Frosini,  "the  wizard  of  the 
accordion,"    studied   the   art   of  playing   his  chosen 


graduated  after  he  had  mastered  it.  So  it  readily 
can  be  understood  that  the  music  which  this  artist 
draws  from  the  accordion  does  not  resemble  in 
the  least  the  weird  and  tuneless  strains  that  many 
so-called   accordion  players  produce. 

Leaving  Italy  after  completing  his  studies  at 
Milan,  Frosini  came  to  this  country,  where  his 
playing  created  a  sensation  in  vaudeville  circles. 
He  has  played  in  practically  all  of  the  high  class 
theatres  in  the  United  States,  having  been  given 
protracted  engagements  in  many  of  the  metropoli- 
tan playhouses.  His  success  in  America  brought 
him  foreign  engagements  and  he  was  particularly 
successful  in  England,  where  he  appeared  in  the 
leading  music  halls  of  London  and  other  larger 
cities.  Frosini  is  not  only  a  master  of  the  accor- 
dion, but  is  a  composer  of  note,  and  many  of  the 
pieces  that  he  presents  are  his  own  compositions, 
composed  especially  for  the  accordion.  He  has 
made  a  number  of  selections  for  the  Blue  Amberol 
catalog  and  his  rendition  of  "New  York  Blues," 
a  melodious  ragtime  number  that  now  is  very 
popular,  made  for  the  January  supplement,  is  a 
fine  example  of  his  art. 


MERLE  ALCOCK 
Merle  Alcock,  the  well  known 
young  concert  contralto  who  has 
come  into  prominence  during  the 
past  two  or  three  years,  is  an 
American  and  a  product  of  Amer- 
ican institutions.  First  studying  in 
Mitchell,  S.  D.,  she  later  grad- 
uated from  the  Drake  Conserva- 
tory of  Music  in  Des  Moines,  la., 
only  to  continue  her  studies  under  William  Wade 
Hinshaw  and  Paul  Sauvage  in  New  York.  Man- 
hattan music  lovers  first  heard  of  her  in  connec- 
tion with  recitals  given  by  Mrs.  Ella  Backus- 
Behr,  the  noted  vocal  coach,  under  whom  Mrs. 
Alcock  studied  for  some  time,  and  under  whose 
direction  she  was  taken  to  England  for  a  London 
appearance.  In  the  British  capital  she  made  her 
debut  at  Claridge's,  winning  the  favor  of  music 
critics  and  of  many  music  lovers  prominent  in 
English  social  circles. 

Upon  her  return  to  New  York  she  was  engaged 
by  Walter  Damrosch  to  appear  as  soloist  with  the 
New  York  Symphony  Orchestra  during  a  tour  of 
the  South.  Her  success  in  filling  this  engage- 
ment gave  her  a  secure  position  among  the  con- 
cert artists  of  the  country  and  since  that  time 
she    has    been    heard    in    all    of   the    great   musical 


instrument    and    it    was    from    here    that    he    was       centers    and    has    established    herself    among    the 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  DECEMBER,  1916 


13 


leading  concert  contraltos  of  America.  Her  voice 
has  strength,  volume  and  beauty  of  tone  and  the 
fact  that  her  enunciation  is  unusually  clear  makes 
it  particularly  well  adapted  to  phonographic 
reproduction.  "I'm  a'longin'  fo'  You,"  a  quaint 
little  song  that  she  contributes  to  the  January  list 
of  Blue  Amberol  Records,  well  displays  the  charms 
of  her  voice. 


HARLAN  £.  KNIGHT 

One  of  the  foremost  portrayers  of 
rural  characters,  Harlan  E.  Knight, 
confesses  that  he  owes  much  of  his 
intimate  understanding  of  his  art  to 
his  early  environment.  He  is  a  na- 
tive of  Limerick,  Maine,  and  when 
he  was  a  boy  attended  a  little  log 
schoolhouse,  where  he  spoke  pieces 
with  the  other  children  and  started 
to  develop  the  talent  that  later  brought  him  to  the 
position  he  now  holds  in  the  world  of  entertain- 
ment.    As  a  young  man  he  frequented  the  country 


stores  and  the  other  rural  centers  from  which  he 
has  drawn  such  an  abundance  of  material  for  his 
humorous  sketches.  He  might  never  have  become 
an  actor  had  it  not  been  for  the  chance  that 
brought  some  theatrical  people  to  board  at  his 
parents'  farm  one  summer.  His  talent  became 
apparent  to  some  of  the  players  and  they  secured 
him  an  engagement,  in  which  he  made  good  in- 
stantly. 

Mr.  Knight,  with  a  carefully  chosen  company, 
has  been  appearing  in  vaudeville  in  rural 
sketches  for  a  number  of  years  and  he  has  acquired 
a  splendid  reputation  for  his  clever  and  convincing 
characterizations  of  various  country  types.  One 
of  his  most  notable  successes  was  "The  Chalk 
Line,"  a  vaudeville  sketch  in  which  Mr.  Knight 
played  the  part  of  "the  original  rube  from  Maine." 
Mr.  Knight  was  one  of  the  first  to  develop  the 
presentation  of  complete  rube  sketches  on  the 
phonograph,  talking  records  before  having  been 
confined  almost  entirely  to  monolog  or  dialog. 
His  latest  Blue  Amberol  production,  "At  the 
County  Fair,"  is  an  excellent  example  of  his  work. 


Addition  to  Edison  Factories  at  Orange,  N.  J. 

THIS  new  steel  and  concrete  building  is  being  constructed  to  serve  for  record  storing 
and  shipping  purposes  at  the  Orange  plant.  It  replaces  a  structure  that,  up  to  a  few 
months  ago,  was  adequate  to  meet  the  demands  made  upon  it.  Already  practically  all 
of  the  floor-space  in  the  new  structure  has  been  parceled  out  and  it  is  becoming  evident 
that  the  vast  increase  in  space  will  all  be  absorbed  by  the  recent  unprecedented  expansion 
of  Edison   business. 


14 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  DECEMBER,  1916 


Eight  Great  Big  Hits- 
Blue  Amberol  Record  List  for  January  a  Hummer 


THE  year  of  1917  is  going  to  be  introduced  by 
a  supplement  of  Blue  Amberol  records  that  is 
unsurpassed  in  quality  by  any  list  ever  issued  for 
Amberola  owners.'  Containing  eight  of  the  biggest 
hits  of  the  most  popular  current  Broadway  musical 
comedy  successes,  a  number  of  the  popular  songs 
that  are  in  high  favor  at  the  present  time,  and  an 
abundance  of  other  high  class  and  timely  numbers, 
the  supplement  is  one  that  will  afford  Amberola 
owners  a  high  degree  of  pleasure  and  Amberola 
dealers  much  profit. 

The  numbers  from  the  reigning  metropolitan 
musical  productions  are  perhaps  the  feature  of  the 
list.  "Little  Miss  Springtime,"  a  very  pronounced 
success,  is  represented  by  "In  the  Garden  of  Ro- 
mance," and  "A  Little  Bid  for  Sympathy,"  two  of 
the  hits  of  the  play.  They  both  are  sung  by  Gladys 
Rice  and  Frederick  Wheeler.  Miss  Rice,  whose 
charming  renditions  of  light  opera  numbers  have 
won  her  much  favor,  also  sings  "Childhood  Days" 
and  "Come  Back,  Sweet  Dreams,"  from  "The  Girl 
from  Brazil."  In  the  first  number  she  is  accom- 
panied by  a  chorus  and  in  the  second  one  by  an 
orchestra.  With  Walter  Van  Brunt,  Miss  Rice 
sings  "Give  Me  All  of  You,"  from  "Flora  Bella," 
one  of  the  most  melodious  musical  comedies  of 
recent  seasons.  The  same  production  is  represented 
by  "You're  the  Girl,"  sung  by  Mr.  Van  Brunt  and 
a  chorus  of  girls.  "It's  Always  Orange  Day  in 
California,"  from  "Canary  Cottage,"  and  "Poor 
Butterfly,"   from   the   New   York   Hippodrome   "Big 


Show,"  are  the  other  two  light  opera  numbers  on 
the  list.  The  former  of  these  is  sung  by  Irving 
Kaufman  and  the  latter  by  Elizabeth  Spencer. 

The  popular  songs  on  the  list  include  "O'Brien  is 
Tryin'  to  Learn  to  Talk  Hawaiian,"  "There's  a 
Little  Bit  of  Bad  in  Every  Good  Little  Girl,"  "In 
Florida  Among  the  Palms,"  "Mississippi  Days," 
"Dancing  Down  in  Dixie  Land,"  and  "You  Wake 
Up  in  Chicago  in  the  Morning."  They  are  ren- 
dered by  such  artists  as  Billy  Murray,  Ada  Jones, 
Arthur  Collins,  Byron  G.  Harlan  and  Gladys  Rice, 
all  popular  favorites  who  are  widely  known. 
Among  the  more  classical  songs  are  "A  Dream," 
sung  by  Hardy  Williamson;  "I'm  a'longing  fo' 
You,"  sung  by  Merle  Alcock,  and  "Blue  Eyes," 
which  George  Wilton  Ballard  sings  with  beautiful 
effect.  The  dance  numbers  include  the  beautiful 
"La  Confession,"  a  waltz  with  a  haunting  melody 
that  is  becoming  widely  popular;  "Old  Virginny" 
and  "Listen  to  This,"  two  snappy  one-steps,  and 
"Hilda,"  a  melodious  fox-trot.  Two  superb  band 
numbers  are  listed  in  the  New  York  Military 
Band's  rendition  of  "The  Whistler  and  His  Dog," 
and  "Simplicity,"  an  intermezzo,  beautifully  ren- 
dered by  Sodero's  Band. 

The  two  concert  selections  of  the  list  are  a  duet 
in  which  Marie  Rappold  and  Jacques  Urlus  sing 
Franz  Abt's  "Weiss  ich  Dich  in  meiner  Nahe"  in 
German,  and  a  rendition  of  "Dormi  pure"  (Sleep 
On)  by  Thomas  Chalmers,  in  Italian. 


Thomas  Chalmers 


BLUE  AMBEROL  RECORDS  FOR  JANUARY,  1917 

CONCERT 

28250  Dorml  pure  (Sleep  On),  Scuderi,  Baritone,  In  Italian,  orch.  ace. 

28251  Weiss  ich  Dich  in  meiner  Nahe,  Abt,  Soprano  and  Tenor,  in  German,  orch.  ace. 

Marie  Rappold  and  Jacques  Urlus 

REGULAR 

3037  O'Brien  is  Tryin'  to  Learn  to  Talk  Hawaiian,  Cormack,  Comedienne,  orch.  ace.  Ada  Jones 

3038  There's  a  Little  Bit  of  Bad  in  Every  Good  Little  Girl,  Clark-Fischer,  Soprano,  orch.  ace.    Gladys  Rice  and  Chorus 

3039  Poor  Butterfly — "The  Big  Show" — New  York  Hippodrome,    Hubbell,  Soprano,  orch.  ace.  Elizabeth  Spencer 

3040  It's  Always  Orange  Day  in  California — Canary  Cottage,  Carroll,  Tenor,  orch.  ace.       Irving  Kaufman  and  Chorus 

3041  Mississippi  Days,   Piantadosi,  Tenor  and  Baritone,  orch.  ace.  Arthur  Collins  and  Byron  G.  Harlan 

3042  In  a  Bird  Store — Descriptive  Fantasia,  Lake  American  Symphony  Orchestra 

3043  Listen  to  This — One-Step,    Kaufman,  for  Dancing  Jaudas'   Society  Orchestra 

3044  Songs  of  Other  Days — No.  4,  Mixed  Voices,  orch.  ace.  Metropolitan  Mixed  Chorus 

3045  Kamehameha  March,  Hawaiian  Guitars  Helen  Louise  and  Frank  Ferera 

3046  A  Dream,  Bartlett,  Tenor,  orch.  ace.  Hardy  Williamson 

3047  La  Confession  Valse,  Morgan,  for  Dancing  Jaudas'  Society  Orchestra 

3048  I'm  a-longin'  Fo'  You,   Hathaway,  Contralto,  orch.  ace.  Merle  Alcock 

3049  Blue  Eyes,    Nicholls,  Tenor,  orch.  ace.  George  Wilton  Ballard 

3050  Old  Virginny— One-Step,  Zamecnik,  for  Dancing  Jaudas'  Society  Orchestra 

3051  in  Florida  Among  the  Palms,  Berlin,  Tenor,  orch.  ace.  Walter  Van  Brunt 

3052  New  York  Blues,  Rag  Classical,  Frosini,  Accordion  P.  Frosini 

3053  Simplicity— Intermezzo,   Lee  Sodero's  Band 

3054  Dancing  Down  in  Dixie  Land,  Olman-Bibo,  Tenor  and  Baritone,  orch.  ace.        Arthur  Collins  and  Byron  G.  Harlan 

3055  Whistler  and  His  Dog,   Pryor  New  York  Military  Band 

3056  At  the  County  Fair,   Knight,  Rube  sketch  Harlan  E.  Knight  and  Company 

3057  You  Wake  Up  in  the  Morning  in  Chicago,  Carroll,  Tenor,  orch.  ace.  Billy  Murray 

3058  Hilda — Fox  Trot,  Davis,  for  Dancing  Vess  L.  Ossman's  Banjo  Orchestra 

3059  Give  Me  All  of  You— Flora  Bella,  Schwarzwald,  Tenor  and  Soprano,  orch.  ace.     Gladys  Rice  and  Walter  Van  Brunt 

3060  You're  the  Girl— Flora  Bella,  Schwarzwald,  Tenor,  orch.  ace.         Walter  Van  Brunt  and  Chorus  of  Female  Voices 

3061  Childhood  Days— The  Girl  From  Brazil,  Romberg,  Soprano,  orch.  ace.  Gladys  Rice  and  Chorus 

3062  Come  Back,  Sweet  Dreams— The  Girl  From  Brazil,  Romberg,  Soprano,  orch.  ace.  Gladys  Rice 

3063  In  the  Garden  of  Romance — Little  Miss  Springtime,    Kalman,  Soprano  and  Baritone,  orch.  ace. 

Gladys  Rice  and  Frederick  Wheeler 

3064  A  Little  Bid  for  Sympathy— Little  Miss  Springtime,    Kalman,  Soprano  and  Tenor,  orch.  ace. 

Gladys  Rice  and  Walter  Van  Brunt 


EDISON  PHONOGRAPH  MONTHLY,  DECEMBER,  1916 


15 


AN    increase    in    the    number    of    dealers    who  have    taken   on   the    Amberola.      When    these    mer- 

handle    any    line    of    merchandise    indicates  chants,  in  close  touch  with  the  retail  markets,  take 

only    one    thing — an    increasing    demand    for    the  on   the   Amberola   it  is  conclusive   evidence   of   the 

product.  strength    of    the    demand    for    this    superb    line    of 

During  the  past  few  weeks  80  merchants  in  all  instruments  and  records, 
parts   of   the    United    States   have    applied    for    and  The  fact  that  new  dealers  continually  are  enter- 
received    licenses   permitting   them    to    deal    in    the  ing  the  field  and  finding  it  profitable  should  make 
New  Edison  Diamond  Amberola  and  Blue  Amberol  it  plain  to  established  dealers  that  the  possibilities 
records.  in    Amberola    merchandising    never    were    greater 

Truly,  this  is  "the  handwriting  on  the  wall."  than   they   are   right  now. 

It  shows  clearly  and  strongly  the  fact  that  there  We   have    shown  you    "the   handwriting   on    the 

is  a  steadily  increasing  demand  for  Amberolas  and  wall." 

Blue  Amberol  records.  What  does  it  mean  to  you? 

An  analysis  of  our  new  dealers  is  deeply  inter-  

esting     and     significant.      They     are     divided     as 

follows:  "Music     is     fundamental — one      of     the      great 

EXCLUSIVELY  AMBEROLA  26  sources  of  life,  health,  strength  and  happiness.     It 

COMBINATION  AMBEROLA  AND  EDISON  is  one  of  the  voices  of  nature— a  voice  of  soul  to 

DISC    22  soul    adapted   to   every  mood.     Music  releases  the 

ESTABLISHED     EDISON     DISC     DEALERS  soul  from  its  mortal  shell  and  takes  it  to  brighter 

TAKING  ON  THE  AMBEROLA  32  skies,   new  oceans,  mountains,   flowers,  birds,  trees 

You  will  note  that  the  largest  subdivision  is  that  and  brooks,  where  time  and  space  do  not  intrude." 

of    former    exclusively    Edison    Disc    dealers    who  — Luther  Burbank. 

Jobbers  of  New  Edison  Diamond  Amberolas 
and  Blue  Amberol  Records 


CALIFORNIA 
Los  Angeles — Diamond    Disc    Distribu- 
ting Co. 
San  Francisco — Pacific  Phonograph  Co. 

COLORADO 
Denver — Denver  Dry  Goods  Co. 

CONNECTICUT 

New  Haven — Pardee-Ellenberger  Co. 

GEORGIA 
Atlanta — Phonographs,  Inc., 
Waycross — Youmans  Jewelry  Co. 

ILLINOIS 
Chicago — Babson  Bros. 

James  I.  Lyons. 
The  Phonograph  Co. 

INDIANA 
Indianapolis — Kipp  Phonograph  Co. 

IOWA 
Des  Moines — Harger  &  Blish 
Sioux  City — Harger  &  Blish. 


LOUISIANA 
Nrw  Orleans — Diamond  Music  Co.,  Inc. 


MASSACHUSETTS 

Boston — Iver-Johnson  Sporting  Goods  Co. 

Pardee-Ellenberger  Co. 


MICHIGAN 
Detroit — Phonograph  Co.  of  Detroit. 

MINNESOTA 
Minneapolis — Laurence  H.  Lucker. 
St.  Paul— W.  J.  Dyer  &  Bro. 

MISSOURI 

Kansas  City— The  Phonograph  Co. 
St.  Louis — Silverstone  Music  Co. 

MONTANA 
Helena — Montana  Phonograph  Co. 


NEBRASKA 
Omaha — Shultz  Bros. 

NEW  JERSEY 
Paterson — James  K.  O'Dea 

NEW  YORK 

Albany — American  Phonograph  Co. 

Buffalo — W.  D.  Andrews. 

N.  Y.  City— Phonograph  Corp.  of 
Manhattan 

Syracuse — Frank  E.  Bolway  &  Son,  Ii 
W.  D.  Andrews  Co. 

OHIO 
Cincinnati — The  Phonograph  Co. 
Cleveland — The  Phonograph  Co. 


OREGON 
Portland — Pacific  Phonograph  Co. 

PENNSYLVANIA 
Philadelphia — Girard  Phonograph  Co. 
Pittsburgh — Buehn  Phonograph  Co. 
Williamsport — W.  A.  Myers. 

RHODE  ISLAND 
Providence — J.  A.  Foster  Co. 

TEXAS 
Dallas — Texas-Oklahoma  Phonog.  Co. 
El  Paso — El  Paso  Phonograph  Co.,  Inc. 

UTAH 
Ogden — Proudfit  Sporting  Goods  Co. 

VIRGINIA 
Richmond — C.  B.  Haynes  &  Co. 

WASHINGTON 
Seattle — Pacific  Phonograph  Co.,  N.  W. 
Spokane — Pacific  Phonograph  Co.,  N.  W. 

WISCONSIN 
Milwaukee — The  Phonograph  Co. 

CANADA 
Calgary — R.   S.   Williams   &   Soni   Co., 

Ltd. 
Montreal — R.  S.  Williams  &  Sons  Co., 

Ltd. 
St.  John— W.  H.  Thome  &  Co.,  Ltd. 
Toronto — R.  S.  Williams  &  Sons  Co.,  Ltd. 
Vancouver — Kent  Piano  Co.,  Ltd. 
Winnipeg — Babson  Bros. 

R.   S.  Williams  &  Soa«  Co.,Ltd. 


Another  Se*  of  Christmas  Trade  Pullers 

IN  THE  November  PhoF'  graph  Monthly  we  gave  you  three  suggestions  for  ads  for 
Christmas  advertising  a  d  we  are  sure  they  brought  you  results  if  you  made  use  of  them. 
If  you  did  not  take  advantage  of  them  during  November  you  undoubtedly  will  use 
them  during  December,  together  with  the  new  copy  below.  We  would  advise  the  use 
of  the  six  holiday  ads,  in  whatever  sequence  you  may  consider  most  effective  and  during 
the  period  of  time  that  seems  most  favorable  to  you.  Any  good  Christmas  advertising 
during  December  represents  money  well  spent;  consistent  advertising  from  now  until 
just  before  the  holidays  is  certain  to  stimulate  your  business  and  be  profitable  to  you. 
Electros  should  be  ordered  by  number  only  from  Thomas  A.  Edison,  Inc.,  Advertising 
Department,  Orange,  N.  J. 


at  3I0  tlje  Sural 
(Eljrtatntas  <£tft 


Model  50 
(Electro  No.  424)  (Electro  No.  381) 

THE  NEW  EDISON  DIAMOND  AMBEROLA 
OF  COURSE 

This  wonderful  musical  instrument  affords  pleasure  to  everyone 

in  the  home. 
It  is  educational  as  well  as  entertaining. 

-It  is  moderate  in  price  and  no  "talking  machine"  can  match  it  in  quality 
It  keeps  the  Christmas  spirit  alive  all  the  year  'round. 
COME  IN  BEFORE  WE  SELL  THEM  ALL! 
{Dealer's  Name  and  Address) 


immmimmmmmmimfmmmimmmm 


Su  Jmtr  CHjrtstmaa 
pupping  Early! 

BUY  YOUR  NEW  EDISON 

DIAMOND  AMBEROLA 

NOW 

It  is  the  ideal 
Christmas  gift, 
affording  pleas- 
ure for  all  at  a 
moderate  price. 

Come    in    and 
hear  this  wonder- 
ful product  from 
the  laboratories 
Model  SO  0f  Mr.  Edison. 

(Electro    No.  412) 

{Dealer's  Name  and  Address) 


^1!^fiKltS»S?1^^ 


spirit  nf 

%  ®tfn  ®imr  darn! 

gihgera  Sltura  Again  in 

EiiBnn  Mm  Ambmil  Sfcrnrfo 

lor      (&  f?  r  t  0  t  m  a  0 

(Uttmt 

in 

anb 

ijear 

St  If  t  m 

(Dealer's  Name  and  Address) 


Vol.  III.     No.   2. 


iVIarch,   1915 


Our  Plant 

(Formerly  The  Edison  Works  Monthly) 

Issued  Occasionally  at  Orange,   N.  J.,  in  the  Interest  of 
EDISON  WORKS  EMPLOYEES 


u 


-  -   * 


ti 


THE  GREEKS'  NEW  YEAR'S  GREETING 

On    New    Year's    morning   a    Greek    Society    presented  a  floral  horseshoe  to  Mr.   Edison.     Many 

of   the    Greeks    in    the    society    were   employed  in   the  factory  prior  to   the   fire. 


PRICE 


6  CENTS 


"OUR   OLD   MAN" 

"The  old  man" — did  you  ever  hear  that  name  used 
elsewhere  in  just  the  way  we  use  it  here? 

If  he  were  a  king,  we  could  not  invest  the  words  "his 
majesty"  with  half  the  reverence  we  put  into  that 
homely  phrase,  "the  old  man." 

Although  he  is  younger  than  any  of  us,  the  gauge  of 
achievement  seems  to  make  him  centuries  old,  and  we 
call  him  "the  old  man"  because  he  is  too  big  to  be 
called  Mr.  Edison. 

There  is  no  decoration,  no  mark  of  honor  that  could 
ennoble  our  "old  man,"  since  he  already  holds  a  higher 
place  among  his  contemporaries  than  any  other  man 
ever  held  among  the  people  of  his  own  time. 

Unconscious  that  he  is  a  superman,  believing  merely 
that  his  achievements  are  due  to  the  fact  that  he  has 
worked  harder  and  longer  than  other  men,  he  stands 
forth  above  all  men  of  all  times,  a  rugged  intellectual 
giant  quite  unaware  of  his  own  gigantic  mental  stature. 
He  overshadows  us.  He  makes  pygmies  of  us.  But  it  is 
worth  that  and  more  to  be  "the  old  man's"  man — the 
youngest  old  man,  the  squarest,  the  most  patient  and 
forgiving,  the  bravest  and  the  gamest — here's  to  him! 

Photo   Copyright   by    Thos.   A.   Edison,   Inc.  From   the   Edison   Club   Banquet   Program 


O      U      Rj 


L      A     N     T 


Vol.  III. 


March,  1915 


No.  2 


CONTENTS 


Cover    Picture — The    Greeks    New    Year's    Greeting 

"Our  Old  Man,"  by  Mr.   Maxwell Page  2 

Impertinent   Paragraphs,    by   Mr.    Pratt Page  3 

View  of  Edison   Club   Banquet Page  4 

Floor  Tests  (Figures  by  Mr.  Condron) Page  5 

Notes  from   Banquet   Program Page  5 

Mutual  Benefit  Association Page  6 

Reconstruction   Views Page  6 


Cartoon  of  Our  Fire,  by  Ray  Morris Page     7 

Some   Interesting   Photos Page     8 

Letter   Sent   Out  by  Mr.    Edison Page     9 

Letters  of  a  Japanese  Schoolboy 

By  Mr.  Wales... Page   10 

Some  Figures Page   1 1 

Laboratory  Notes,  by  Mr.   Ries Page  11 

The  Battery  Plant,   by  Mr.   Andrews Page   12 


Our  Plant 


(Copyright   1915   by  the   Glenmont   Press,   West   Orange,   N.   J.) 


T.  M.   Edison,   Editor 


Impertinent  Paragraphs 


According  to  the  banquet  program,  the 
Phonograph  folks  found  us  Storage  Battery- 
people  "regular  fellows."  Wonder  what  they 
thought  we  were,  farmers  or  gold-brick  men? 
But  when  they  say  we  have  all  the  many  vir- 
tues and  faults  they  own  up  to,  they  are  dead 
wrong — we  haven't  any  virtues  and  wouldn't 
know  what  to  do  with  them  if  we  had.  Be- 
sides, anyone  can  have  virtues,  but  it  takes  a 
mighty  clever  person  to  have  a  lot  of  faults 
and  get  away  with  them.  We're  not  very 
clever,  so  don't  dare  have  many  faults,  but 
those  we  have  are  all  our  own — they  are 
unique — and  what's  more,  they  are  protected 
by  letters  patent  in  the  United  States,  Europe 
and  Japan,  and  anyone  caught  infringing  on 
them  will  be  rigorously  prosecuted,  even  if  we 
have  to  hire  Unger,  of  the  Legal  Department, 

to  do  it. 

*       *       * 

If  that  misguided  son  of  Calembourg  who 
wrote  that  "Bill"  stuff  on  the  bottom  of  the 
February  Edison  Club  bill  doesn't  reform  he 
will  end  his  days  writing  "Goops"  for  the 
Evening  Mail,  or  jokes  for  "Skinny  Shaner's 
Googly  Department"  in  the  Journal.   It  affect- 


ed us  so  that  we  immediately  made  the  bill  a 
"bill  of  lading"  by  wrapping  it  around  a 
quarter  and  "chasing  the  kid  down  with  it." 
(Isn't  that  the  way  they  used  to  express  it?) 
Ordinarily  we  would  have  waited  until  they 
sent  us  sufficient  statements  to  enable  us  to 
sell  the  paper  to  the  junkman  for  a  quarter 

and  then  pay  up. 

*  *       * 

It  is  commonly  said  that  there  hasn't  been 
a  universal  genius  since  Bacon,  but  we  have 
developed,  since  the  fire,  two  or  three  geniuses 
who  could  put  it  all  over  Bacon  for  universal- 
ity and  then  find  time  to  attend  the  banquet. 

*  *       * 

There  is  one  thing  they  didn't  think  of  in 
selecting  steel  office  furniture.  The  steel  will 
retain  heat  a  long  time  and  if  a  couple  of 
irascible  department  heads  get  into  a  hot  ar- 
gument and  start  pounding  the  desk — well, 
someone's  going  to  get  burned,  that's  all. 
However,  it  will  be  good  for  the  amateur 
chicken  farmers,  for  they  can  pick  out  the 
chairs  of  the  fat  men  and  use  them  for  incu- 
bators nights  and  save  the  kerosene  to  kill 
the  potato  bugs. 


Page  4 


Our    Plant 


(Photo  by  Demas  Photo  Co.) 
GENERAL  VIEW  OF  EDISON  CLUB  BANQUET 


One  doesn't  have  to  be  a  director  or  officer 
of  the  company  to  occupy  the  "seats  of  the 
mighty"  these  days.  Even  an  entry  clerk  may 
sit  in  a  director's  chair  every  day,  provided 
he    doesn't    mind    the    leather   being    a    little 

charred. 

*  *       * 

It  is  surprising  how  delightfully  stupid  and 
dull  of  comprehension  one  becomes  when  the 
new  comptometer  is  being  demonstrated  by  a 

pretty  girl. 

*  *       * 

We  are  in  receipt  of  a  communication  from 
our  baseball  team  mascot  to  the  effect  that 
the  Edison  Storage  Battery  Co.  baseball  fans 
will  hold  a  meeting  shortly  and  wished  us  to 
call  the  attention  of  their  Honorable  Manager, 
Mr.  McClain,  to  the  fact  that  they  have  suits 
but  no  players,  and  they  hoped  Mr.  Mac 
would  be  able  to  get  up  a  real  team  this  year 
and  go  into  the  league.     The  communication 


also  advised  us  where  we  could  procure  the 
"bats,"  but  we  had  rather  not  tell  where  it 
was.  "In  the  spring  a  young  man's  fancy 
lightly  turns  to  thought  of" — baseball.  It  was 
suggested  that  in  order  to  make  a  good  record 
this  year  the  team  should  confine  itself  to 
games  with  Silver  Lake  and  leave  the  Bronx 
Studio's  team  alone. 


With  those  new  fangled  windows  in  the 
office  building  everybody  will  have  to  take 
turns  looking  out.  As  one  of  our  epigram 
makers  so  aptly  put  it,  "the  fellow  who  in- 
vented those  windows  must  have  had  two 
noses  and  one  eye."  Just  suppose  something 
exciting  happened  on  Lakeside  Avenue  on  a 
cold  day — "Shut  that  window  ! ! !" 
*       *       * 

The  Hotel  Washington  still  stands,  though 
somewhat  battered. 


Our    Plant 


Tage  5 


Floor  Tests 

The  following  floor  test  was  made  in  an 
end  of  "24"  building  which  many  engineers 
said  would  have  to  be  torn  down  :  The  floors 
in  this  end  of  the  building  had  not  been 
strengthened  in  any  way  since  the  fire,  so 
that  the  figures  obtained  from  this  test  would 
be  low  in  comparison  with  tests  made  where 
the  damage  was  not  so  great.  Although  the 
columns  and  beams  were  badly  cracked,  a  test 
load  of  200  pounds  per  square  foot  was  placed 
upon  them  for  several  days.  The  floors, 
columns  and  beams  all  held  under  this  great 
strain,  which  totaled  135,000  pounds  on  an  area 
45'xi5'  or  675  square  feet.  This  test  load  was 
more  than  twice  the  weight  of  any  machinery 
used  on  that  floor,  but  notwithstanding  this 
even  where  the  building  was  not  nearly  so 
badly  damaged,  the  old  construction  is  being 
reenforced  with  new.  In  many  cases  the  old 
construction  which  has  been  reenforced  is 
stronger  than  it  ordinarily  was.  This  is  es- 
pecially true  of  the  floors  under  the  ovens  and 
presses.  It  is  there  that  the  floors  undergo 
their  greatest  strain  of  ninety  pounds  per 
square  foot.  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  al- 
though all  this  heavy  machinery  went  through 
the  fire  it  did  not  break  through  the  floor  in 
a  single  case,  and  most  of  it  could  be  easily 
repaired. 

Another  floor  test  was  conducted  in  build- 
ing No.  11  with  practically  the  same  result. 
The  load  in  this  case  was  300  pounds  per 
square  foot. 


A  remarkable  instance  of  the  great  strength 
of  concrete  was  when  in  the  course  of  the  fire, 
from  a  cause  as  yet  not  definitely  established, 
a  portion  of  the  two  top   floors  of  building 


No.  II,  with  all  their  machinery,  collapsed 
and  fell  three  floors.  Although  this  great 
weight  fell  about  thirty  feet,  the  columns, 
beams  and  floor  of  the  third  floor  withstood 
the  impact.  Engineers  cannot  understand  the 
cause  of  the  collapse  any  more  than  they 
understand  how  the  fireswept  second  floor 
withstood  the  tremendous  strain  to  which  it 
was  subjected.  It  is  remarkable  that  this 
small  portion  was  the  only  concrete  construc- 
tion which  collapsed,  while  brick,  corrugated 
iron  and  other  types  of  buildings  were  re- 
duced to  piles  of  wreckage. 


Stolen  from  the  Edison  Club  Banquet 
Program 

Take  it  from  one  who  knows — the  night  of 
the  fire  was  the  first  time  the  fourth  floor  of 
the  office  building  was  ever  heated. 

(Jake  Unger  done  this.) 


Honest,  did  you  ever  believe  that  there  was 
the  capacity  in  us  for  hustling  that  the  fire 
brought  out? 

Or,  rather,  that  the  fire  made  necessary — 
and  ''The  Old  Man"  brought  out? 


Bill  Cheshire  weighed  himself  the  day  he 
returned  from  the  "Lab"  to  his  regular  job 
and  got  the  scare  of  his  young  life. 

The  scale  didn't  register ! 


Al  Wttrth  is  smoking  mighty  fine  cigars 
lately. 

There's  a  reason. 

Ask  Chief  Hayes  which  commercial  was 
manufactured  first — Disc  or  Amberol — 

And  zi'ho  paid  the  Dollar ? 


Q.     Is  it  possible  to  work  the  farm  papers 


Page  6 


Our    Plant 


to  publish  thirty-six  free  reading  articles  on 
the  same  subject? 

A.  Yes.  Ask  Charles  Alva  Poyer,  who 
wrecked  six  dictating  machines  and  gave  the 
blind  staggers  to  six  stenographers  now  in 
sanitariums,  by  dictating  the  aforesaid  thirty- 
six  different  articles  simultaneously. 


PRESENT    LE^AL    LIBRARY 


Heard  the  Night  of  the  Fire 

"Why  don't  they  stop  the  fire?" 


"This  place   must  not  burn   to-night !" 
"It  shall  not  burn,  Pat,  I  promise  ye." 


"How  do  I  know  you're  workin'  here?" 


Who  actually  did  pull  the  alarm  anyho1 


About  the  Mutual  Benefit  Association 

The  Edison  Emplovees'  Mutual  Benefit  As- 
sociation is  doing  buisness  along  its  usual 
lines — $1.00  initiation  fee;  25  cents  per  month 
dues ;  $5.00  sick  benefit  for  13  weeks  and 
$25.00  insurance — and  they  would  like  to  hear 
from  any  prospective  applicants. 

At  the  quarterly  meeting  held  January  24, 
two  Assistant  Financial  Secretaries  were  ap- 
pointed— Mr.  Charles  Taylor,  of  the  Screw 
Machine    Department,    second    floor    Battery 


Building,  and  Mr.  Newby,  of  the  Laboratory 
and  Works,  and  all  members  in  their  re- 
spective buildings  are  to  pay  their  dues  and 
report  all  sickness  to  them. 

The  financial  statement  of  the  Association 
to  February  1,  1915,  reads  as  follows: 

Received    $2,213.36 

Disbursements  748.03 

Balance  on  hand $1,465.33 


Some  Views  of  the  Reconstruction  Since 
the  Fire  of  December  9 

Upper — Saw-tooth  construction  on  new  Cabinet  As- 
sembly  Building. 

Middle — View   of   repaired   Office   Building. 

Lower — Continuation  of  middle  picture  showing  new 
corrugated  iron  building  at  the  lower  end  of  the 
works. 


Our    Plant 


Page  7 


It  is  of  interest  to  note  that  although  "24" 
building  was  next  to  a  low  building  which 
burned  completely  down,  it  was  not  the  lower 
floors  which  first  caught.     On  the  contrary,  it 


out,  the  third  floor  is  in  the  height  of  its 
"burning  out,"  while  the  first  floor  has  as  yet 
not  caught.  The  great  flames  at  the  extreme 
right  were  caused  by  the  burning  of  ten  tons 
of  celluloid  which  was  stored  in  that  end  of 
the  building. 


Mr.  and  Mrs.  Charles  Eugene  Phelps,  of 
Pu!aski,  Va.,  have  announced  the  engagement 
of  their  daughter,  Miss  Mary  Glenn  Phelps,  to 
Leonard  Ward  McChesney,  son  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Leonard  C.  McChesney,  of  Orange. 
The  marriage  will  take  place  in  April. — From 
the  Newark  Evening  Nczvs  of  Feb.  13,  1915. 


Copyright  by  Brady  y[r    McChesney,  beside  being  the  Business 

was    the    top    floor    to    which    the    fire    first  Manager    of    our    Motion    Picture    Division, 

spread.     As  can   be  seen   by  a   glance  at   the  is    quite    closely    associated    with    the    Edison 

picture,  the  two  top  floors  are  already  burned  Club,  being  its  president. 


Chief  Malone  and  Edison  firemen  saving  empty 

packing   cases. 

Chief  Sheehan  looking  for  the  fire. 

"Gotta  match?" 

Record  blank   life-chain. 

A  quiet  little  game. 

The  beginning  of  the  "no  smoking"  crusade. 

"Ab"  Kennedy  and  the  "Movie"  men. 

Where  the  A-250  hit  "Gil"   Baldwin. 

Finnegan  saving  the  vacuum  cleaner. 

Pennies  saved  during  1914. 


11.  Group  of  zealous  workers  saving  such  "neces- 
saries" as  stool  from  elevator,  fire  extinguishers, 
cuspidors,    ink   bottles,    etc. 

12.  "Davy"   saves  the  Painted   Post  town  file. 

13.  The  two   Eckerts  saving  the  time  clock. 

14.  "Wes"    Bremmer   to  the   rescue. 

15.  Firemen    and    fire   water. 

16.  "Diamond"   Deignan  asserts  his  authority. 

Do  you  see  Durand  ?  Notice  how  "Ernie"  left 
his  office?  Find  Charley's  cook  stove;  also 
Requa.      Kind  yourself. 

From  the  Edison   Club  Banquet  Program 


Page  8 


Our     Plant 


The  above  cut  is  of  a  lire  test  which  was 
made  of  the  new  wire-glass  windows  and 
steel  sashes  which  are  being  installed 
throughout  the  plant.  Tn  this  test  a  tempera- 
ture of  1,700  degrees  was  reached  before  the 
glass  showed  signs  of  giving  way.  Kerosene 
and  celluloid  were  used  in  the  specially  con- 
structed test  oven  to  get  this  great  heat. 


How  Mr.  Edison  keeps  track  of  the  construct:on 
work.  By  means  of  the  hoards  he  can  tell  just 
how  far  along  any  operation  is  toward  completion. 

"Thim  Was  the  Happy  Days!" 

August  17,  1914. 
To  Officials  and  Heads  of  Departments: — 

On  account  of  recent  awning  fires,  you  are 
hereby  most  respectfully  requested  to  caution 


the  smokers  in  your  department  to  refrain 
from  throwing  burnt  matches,  or  emptying 
pipes  out  of  the  windows  of  the  office  build- 
ing. E.  J.  Berggren,  Secretary. 

From    the   Edison    Club   Banquet   Program 


Some  Interesting  Photos 


9 


Many  diamonds  were  lost  in  the  fire  but  in  this 
the  bottle  was  found  melted  with  the  diam 
intact  inside. 


case 
;mds 


Above — "Keep  Out"  sign  placed  at  foot  of  elevator 
shaft  to  keep  people  from  using  the  elevator 
without  permission. 

Below — Cutting  up  iron  wreckage  at  night  with  an 
oxyacetylene   torch. 


Our     Plant 


Page  9 


This  shows  how,  in  the  course  of  the  fire,  molten 
glass   ran    down    the  walls   like   water. 

(Insert)  Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  this  drop 
light  was  melted  out  of  shape  and  punctured  its 
filament   was   still   good. 


Letter    Sent    Out   by    Mr.    Edison    to    the 
Phonograph  Trade 

When  a  man's  birthday  comes  around  it 
doesn't  simply  mean  that  he  is  a  year  older. 
It  means  that  he  has  gained  another  year 
of  knowledge  and  experience  and  is  start- 
ing a  new  year  which  he  can  make  more 
useful  and  productive  than  any  previous 
year. 

We  promised  to  be  back  in  the  game 
within  thirty  days  after  the  fire.    We  were 


turning  out  finished  goods  again  in  just 
twenty-two  days.  We  expect  to  make  1915 
the  best  year  in  the  history  of  the  busi- 
ness. We  shall  do  our  part,  we  believe  you 
will  do  yours. 

THOMAS  A.  EDISON. 


The  first  disc  phonograph,  disc  record,  blue  amberole 
record,  blue  amberole  mould,  and  dictating  ma- 
chine blank  to  come  through  after  the  fire.  For 
dates  see  Page    1 1 . 


If  This  Order  Cannot  Be  Given  IMMEDIATE  RIGHT  OF  WAY 
Telegraph  at  Once  at  Our  Expense 

The  material  covered  by  attached  Edison  Storage  Battery  Company's  Purchase  Order  No. 

is  for  re-equipping  the  Plant  of  the  Edison  Phonograph  Works  DESTROYED  BY  FIRE,  December  9,  1914,  and 
Mr.  Edison,  personally,  and  his  staff  are  working  day  and  night  on  the  reconstruction. 

The  Edison  Storage  Battery  Plant  was  in  no  way  injured  by  the  fire,  and  is  therefore  called  upon  to  help 
recover,  rebuild  and  install  the  machinery  for  the  allied  companies.  Other  manufacturers  are  assisting  us  to 
make  this  a  record  recovery.     ARE  YOU  WITH  US  ALSO?     If  so.  Ship  by  Quickest  Route  and  Bill  to  Us. 

R.  A.  BACHMAN.  V.  P.  and  Gen'l  Mgr.,  Edison  Storage  Battery  Co.,  Orange,  N.  J. 
Form  No.  1 169— 12-14-1 M. 


Order  Sticker  Printed  in  Red  and  Attached  to  All    Orders.      Note    that    the   word   ''Rush"   is   not 

used,    but    these    Stickers    produced    results    that    the    telegraph    and 

long-distance   'phones   could  not  obtain. 


Page   10 


Our     Plant 


Letters  of  a  Japanese  School  Boy 

(After — a  long  way  after — Wallace  Irwin) 

To  the  Editor  The  Edison  Club  Program,  which 
appear  only  once  per  annual,  thus  deserving 
gratitude  of  all  readers. 

Hon.  Mr.  Sir:— 

I  am  enjoying  discharge  from  my  present  position, 
which  I  no  longer  decorate. 

Answering  the  Hellup  Wanted  ad  in  the  Orange 
Chronic-ill,  I  become  assistant  office  devil  for  Edison 
Battery  Store-rage  Co.,  for  one  (1)  consecutive  day. 

"What  do  I  work?"  I  ask  of  Hon.  Byrne,  who 
although  unfireproof,  sit  at  wooden  desk  explaining 
lost  designs  and  cuts. 

"From  2  A.  M.  to  4.30  A.  M.  you  assist  Hon- 
Mudd  to  find  cost  of  welded  spotted  bossy,  in 
millions  lot.  Hon.  Mudd  he  read  in  defficiency 
book,  human  brain  most  active  in  these  hours  of 
morning,"  he  repose. 

"Then  what  are  my  to-duties?"     I  insist. 

"After  that  you  spend  3^  hours  daily  laughing 
loudishly  hee-haw,  hee-haw,  at  bum  jokes  of  Hon. 
Andrews.  You  answer  ladies  telephoning  for  Hon. 
Poyer,  who  sit  entirely  surrounded  by  card  indexes 
and  charts  showing  how  many  House  Delighting 
Plants  bought  by  jay-farmers  in  East  Agony, 
Neb.,  during  peak  month  of  Nov.  1914. 

I  are  distracted  by  sight  of  3,149  employees  of 
Phonograph  Co.,  slowly  parading  in  single  file 
through  door  to  factory,  clutching  papers  in  hands 
and  marching  back  through  same  door  over  and 
over  again,  pursued  by  Hon.  Gilletteless  Durand, 
with  steely  glint  of  sell-it  expression  in  right  and 
left  eye,  and  muttering  "Telescribe"  and  "Tran- 
sophone." 

Just  then  in-enter  Hon.  Magazine  Misrepresen- 
tative,  approaching  Hon.  Andrews  with  glad  look 
and  large  jovial  button  borrowed  for  the  day. 
Hon.  Andrews  make  greeting:  "What,  you  here 
again?    Another  half  hour  gone  to — " 

"Hail,  Hon.  Senator  "  inject  Hon.  Mag.  Misrep. 
"I  are  Brother  No.  4-11-44,  Sons  of  Jo-jo." 

"Son  of  a  liar  "  indig  Hon.  Andrews.  "I  are 
No.  4-11-44  myself." 


"Pardon,  that  were  number  of  my  Fordauto. 
My  number  is  23.  I  misrepresent  The  Ladies' 
Home  Knitting  Review  which  are  just  exactly  the 
very  identical  ideal  media  for  advertising  the 
Edison  Battery  Store-rage.  Allow  me  to  present 
at  you  our  last  volume,  bound  in  Spanish  Bull." 

"But  we  use  men's  publications  only,"  sidestep 
Hon.  Andrews. 

Hon.  Mag.  Misrep.  light  27th  cigarette  since 
entering,  then  lean  forward  with  so-hypnotic 
expression,  place  one  arm  around  Hon.  Andrews' 
neck,  pound  desk  with  other  fist  and  blow  smoke 
in  face: 

"Just  what  you  want,  Hon.  Andrews.  The 
Ladies'  Home  Knitting  Review,  is  now  read  ex- 
clusively by  men,  who  study  it  with  frantic  faces  to 
learn  the  lastest  stitches  in  side,  for  knitting  socks 
for  the  Belgiums,  who  have  done  nothing  to  deserve 
this.  Last  week  397  presidents  of  corporations  give 
up  resignations  in  order  to  knit  socks  entirely." 

Hon.  Andrews  breathe  usual  sigh.  "All  right — 
we  will  take  singular  column  3  agateware  lines,  if 
you  publish  ad  in  4  colors  with  pure  reading  matters 
on  all  sides,  and  allow  us  to  use  one  insertion  at 
52-time  rate,  also  35%  commission  to  Hon.  Wales 
Advertising  Co,  less  10%,  5%,  3%  and  2%  on 
general  principle  or  lack  of  it.  Also  to  publish  free 
one  10-page  reading  article  describing  intense  and 
non-interesting  technical  details  of  manufacture 
of  Edison  Batteries,  with  picture-photos  of  cellars 
of  rich  malefactors  who  misuse  them.  Also  a  free 
leading  editorial  condamning  all  lead  batteries. 
Also " 

But  just  then,  while  I  am  carrying  tray  of  dictate- 
machine  records  and  looking  across  room  at  fasci- 
nating stenographer  (name  on  request,)  I  trip  over 
Hon.  Misrep. 's  valise  full  of  circulation  perjuries, 
and  fall  on  his  wrist,  breaking  his  watch-crystal, 
and  also  all  records. 

"Togo  P'bellow  Hon.  Andrews.  "That  tray  of 
broken  records  contained  my  extemporaneous  and 
impromptu  speech-talk  for  the  Edison  Club  Dinner. 
You  are  discharged  and  short-circuited!" 

Hoping  you  are  the  same,  I  are 

Yours  truly, 

Hashimura  Togo. 


Our     Plant 


Pa. are 


Data  on   Machines,   Buildings,   Etc.,   Built 
Since  the  Fire 


o 

Description.  f  v 

ii 

Disc  Phonograph    99 

Disc  Record 

Cylinder  Phonograph  ...        51 

Cylinder  Record 

Dictating  Machine 1159 

Dictating  Machine  Blank 
Bates     Numbering     Ma- 
chine       406 

Kinetoscope 675 


*•- 


o  o 

£2 

I 1 

65 

22 

20 

62 

62 

22 

1146 

64 

20 

12 

67 

600 

Building. 


Dimensions.     ^^  = 


£  E 


Accumulator  32'6"x21'6" 

Record  Storage  and 

Shipping 200'x60' 

"A"  Bldg.  on  site  of 

old  film  plant....        131'3"x53' 
Lean-to    for    Com- 

pressers  30'x20' 

Fuller  Mill   37'9"x30'3" 

Powder  Blank 170'4"x58'4" 

Leanto  for  Powder 

Blank  Bldg 57T'xl0'4" 

Fuller  Mill,  Powder 

Mill  Lean-to-   ....       77"xl0'4" 
Cabinet  Assembly..    74'lI/4"xll3+ 

Lof  76'x31' 
Windows  in  Office 

Building 


Y2 

10 
14 


Sing  a  song  of  solitaires, 

They  knock  out  your  eye, 
Four  pretty  Battery  girls    " 

Get  married  by  and  by. 
And  when  their  jobs  are  open. 

There'll  be  a  chance  for  four, 
Doomed  by  the  Fates  old  maids  to  be, 

Forever,  evermore. 

Since  writing  the  above  we  hear  of  the 
appearance  of  another  "stone"  and  so 
hasten  to  press  for  fear  there  won't  be 
space  enough  to  mention  all  of  them,  they 
are  coming  in  so  fast  now. 


Copyright  by  Brady 
This    photograph    was    taken    just    after    the    alcohol 
tank   exploded. 


ANOTHER  FIRE 

At  a  little  before  12  o'clock  on  the  even- 
ing of  March  7th,  a  fire  was  discovered 
in  the  ground  floor  of  building  No.  22. 
The  fire,  which  is  thought  to  have  started 
from  defective  wiring,  burned  for  more 
than  two  hours  before  it  was  under  con- 
trol. The  building  was  of  wood  covered 
with  sheet  metal  and  can  be  repaired. 
Most  of  the  machinery  was  salvaged. 

In  this  fire  it  was  the  building  and  not 
the  materials  which  burned,  while  in  the 
fire  of  December  9th  it  was  the  exact  op- 
posite. 

Laboratory  Notes 

This  Laboratory  is  neutral  with  the  excep- 
tion of  a  six-foot  space  around  the  war  map. 


There  is  quite  a  tendency  by  Laboratory 
men  to  cut  down  expenses  at  home.  The 
match  box  has  shown  the  greatest  saving 
within  the  last  few  weeks. 


Olson   will  explain   the   difference   between 
yig  and  jig  in  next  month's  issue. 


The  name  "Edison  Works  Monthly"  has 
been  changed  to  "Our  Plant,"  as  the  book- 
let from  now  on  will  be  issued  occasional- 
ly. News,  etc.,  will  be  collected  until 
enough  has  accumulated  to  warrant  its 
publication. 


RAPID  WORK  IN  THE  BATTERY  PLANT 
Installing  Salvaged  Machinery  in  Quickest  Time  on  Record. 

Every  spare  nook  and  cranny  of  the  immense  new  concrete 
buildings  of  the  Battery  Plant  was  requisitioned  for  the  Phonograph 
manufacturing  departments.  The  factory  organizations  of  the  bat- 
tery, phonograph  and  other  interests  were  amalgamated  into  a  small 
army  of  executives  with  Robert  A.  Bachman,  V.  P.  and  Gen'l 
Mngr.  of  the  Battery  Company  as  commander-in-chief.  By  a  judi- 
cious rearrangement  of  some  of  the  battery  equipment  satisfactory 
accomodations  were  found  for  all,  and  over  460  machines  were  sal- 
vaged and  set  up  in  the  screw,  tool,  japan-cleaning,  jewel,  grinding, 
drilling  and  other  departments  within  nineteen  days.  The  details 
of  the  installation  are  interesting.  It  took  1200  feet  of  line  shafting 
and  3000  feet  of  counter-shafting  all  connected  up  with  over  three 
miles  of  new  leather  belt.  Some  2000  feet  of  benches  were  made 
with  new  lumber  using  the  iron  legs  that  had  passed  through  the 
fire.     The  feet  of  these  benches  were  all  lagged  to  the  concrete  floors. 

While  the  machines  were  being  put  in  place  over  3000  feet  of 
piping  for  air,  water  and  gas  were  installed,  necessitating  over  2000 
joints.  This  was  in  addition  to  3600  feet  of  pipe  used  in  the  Edison 
system  of  line-shaft  suspension. 

It  was  strenuous  work  while  it  lasted.